Banking Facilities For Senior Citizens And Differently Abled

It has come to fore that senior citizen and disabled banking customers are not provided banking services as they should be. To address the issue, RBI has advised banks to offer basic banking services to these customers separately. Some of the services provided include cash delivery against withdrawal request made, delivery of demand drafts, submission of life certificate and KYC documents at the residence of such customers, pick of instruments against receipt and cash for deposit.

Banking Facilities For Senior Citizens And Differently Abled

Here are some of the special services provided to senior citizen and disable category:

1. Auto conversion of fully KYC-compliant account status: Fully KYC-compliant account should be automatically converted into a senior citizen account by the bank on the basis of the date of birth proof in the bank's records. However, some of the banks do not even convert fully KYC compliant accounts into senior citizen accounts.

2. Dedicated Counters: As per the RBI notification, differently-abled or infirm persons with medically certified chronic illness, visually challenged people or disabled and senior citizens need to be catered to via a dedicated counter that gives priority banking services.

3. Cheque Book Facility: On request for a savings bank account, a cheque book with minimum 25 cheque leaves in a year is to be provided by the banks. In the case of senior citizens and differently-abled customers especially, for the issuance of cheque book banks should not insist on their physical presence.

4. Facilities to visually impaired customers: The RBI notification asks banks to offer special services to old, sick and incapacitated customers. In case of such persons, an authorized person can withdraw the amount. Also, the bank account can be operated by identifying toe or thumb impression by 2 of the separate witnesses.

5. Submission of life certificate: Under the Jeevan Praman scheme, in accordance with the guidelines of Department of Government and Bank Accounts, together with the Digital life certificate, physical life certificate can also be deposited at any of the branch by bank pensioners. Thus, a customer can deposit their life certificate at any branch, of the pension paying bank. Also, the same needs to be updated swiftly by the receiving branch in CBS.

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