Dear Vashishth Jee
RBI consolidated the circular regarding banking facilities to VI in its master
circular on customer service on July 1, 2009, and I am not sure as to its
inclusion in earlier master circular of July 2008.
The master circular has to be kept at all branches and ignorance of PNB
officials is most objectionable.
Regards
"Perhaps our role on this planet is not to worship God--
but to create Him."
--Arthur C. Clarke
Rajesh Asudani
Assistant General Manager,
Reserve Bank of India
Nagpur
09420397185
O: 0712 2806676
Res: 0712 2591349
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of SC Vashishth
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 4:28 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [AI] Visually-impaired running for ATM card for 3 yrs
Dear Friends,
This matter was referred to me by Pranay Gadodia and Mr. Pincha. I thought
it wise to use media to raise larger awareness before proceeding to court.
If the bank doesn't redress it within next ten days, Renuka intends to move
Delhi Hight Court to redress the issue. Any comments?
SC Vashishth, Advocate
*Visually-impaired running for ATM card for 3 yrs
Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service*
New Delhi, December 4
Even as the Punjab National Bank (PNB) installed its first disabled-friendly
automated teller machine (ATM) in the city yesterday, visually-challenged
Renuka Bhagat, 30, is yet to get an ATM card for which she has been doing
rounds of the bank for the past three years. On top of this, in order to
access her savings account in the Hauz Khas branch of the bank, she has go
accompanied with a witness.
"It has been more than three years. I have been requesting the officials of
the Hauz Khas branch of the bank to issue me an ATM card. It becomes
inconvenient for me to go to the bank for every transaction. Moreover, the
officials insist that I visit the bank only with a witness as I am partially
blind," she told The Tribune.
Whenever Renuka needs money, she has to come to the bank from her hostel in
Laxmi Bai Nagar or from her work place, which is also not very close to the
bank.
On November 7, she met the chief manager of the branch, A.P. Goyal, with her
request. After initial denial, Goyal gave a written justification for usage
of ATM card, which she submitted in the bank the next day.
The Reserve Bank of India, in this context, in July 2008, has issued a
master circular to all banks on customer service. According to clause 10,
visually impaired persons should not be discriminated. Earlier, a circular
(No. CE/RB-1/vip/1766, dated November 18, 2008) of the Indian Banks
Association also stated that all blinds are entitled to all facilities of a
bank without any extra formality.
Interestingly, when Renuka reminded Goyal about the circular, he posed to be
ignorant about the existence of any such notice. She then approached PNB's
general manager, customer care service, Malathi Mohan. Following this, on
November 17, she was asked to sign a 'letter of undertaking' for the issue
of the ATM card.
Goyal stated, "As per the executive guidelines of the PNB, an undertaking
has to be approved by our corporate office in such cases so that the bank is
not liable for any loss due to the loss of the card."
However, Renuka, feeling discriminated and objecting to the formality, rued,
"I would not give any undertaking. I too have the right to access the modern
facilities like others. Why should I be treated as a secondary citizen just
because I am differently-able. The repeated visits that I had to make for
something as simple as an ATM card were sheer harassment for me."
--
Warm regards,
Subhash Chandra Vashishth
Mobile: +91 (11) 9811125521
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