Wednesday 28 March 2007

ATM Cards For the Blind: Information Required.

Courtesy Access India discussion


Wed Mar 28 04:18:44 CDT 2007
ATM Cards For the Blind: Information Required. 


Hey friends, many of us are facing the same problem. I have also faced the same problem with ICICI bank. There is no uniform practice followed by the banks. Some of the banks such as PNB have taken clearcut policy decision that they would not issue ATM cards to VI person nor they would allow them to avail the facility of Net banking. I have the copy of the Prasanna Pincha case. I have also the copy of the petition which was filed by him. In my view, we should file a public interest petition in the Supreme Court requesting to issue a clear cut guideline to public sector as well as the private banks keeping in view the developments which have taken place within the area of assistive technology through which we can have access to the net banking facility. I will discuss the judgement in my next mail with you. 


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Message: 1 Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:39:18 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [AI] final judgement of Prasanna Kumar Pincha Vs. union of India!


Dear Friends,


If anybody has the final judgement on Prasanna Kumar Pincha Vs. Union of India, please do send at the earliest. I had warned the ICICI Bank of legal action in case they fail to respond to my application for opening a normal account providing all the facilities given to a usual customer. 


Now they have agreed for providing me the same facilities given I give them an undertaking to this effect that those facilities would be on my own risk. However, by mistake I provided them with CCPD judgement on the banking for disabled which lays down this condition that a visually challenged person could be issued a crossed cheque at his own risk by taking an undertaking to this effect from him. If I could have the above said judgment then I could show them the High Court decision which bars such conditions. please do help at the earliest. 


One of my friends has been refused ATM card by SBI though the branch manager opened an account after a lot of fuss. I know that  SBI has issued ATM cards and some accessible ATM counters have been opened in India. Would you please inform me the details and also the rules on it? 


Best regards, 


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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:34:31 +0530
Re: [AI] final judgement of Prasanna Kumar Pincha Vs. union of India!


I wonder, why such cumbersome proceedings were required to open an account in the first place? I have a trading/saving account with icici bank. I had mentioned my disability and they had no objections over it. I am using debit card, online trading, internet banking and all other facilities without any undertaking. My case was resolved from their head branch in Mumbai.




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Message: 8 Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:17:50 +0530 
Subject: Re: [AI] final judgement of Prasanna Kumar Pincha Vs. union of India!


The same ICICI weren't prepared to give me a s/b account in Bangalore and worse, while I could operate a debit/atm card with Centurion Bank (Chennai), who gave me the facility with the full knowledge of my disability and also allowed me to issue cheques, State Bank of Mysore didn't give me cheque books or ATM/debit cards. They issued it only after my wife became a joint a/c holder. 


The thing is, officers decide things over the counter without consulting the regulations or orders. In the case of a VI person, they presume too many things and don't even bother to cross check with their HQ, as in your case. So, decisions on issuing cheque book or ATM cards are made arbitrarily. 


Another example of such decisions is while a previous officer in SBM allowed me to sign on withdrawal slips (with the signature of the person accompanying me to collect the money) another person who took over changed the procedure and asked me also to affix my thumb impression, and didn't listen to our explanations as to how it's difficult to verify a person's thumb impression. 


So, I feel, banks, especially the national banks, though the safest option for us to deposit our money, are not disabled friendly. 

Saturday 10 February 2007

Eligibility for the bank chequebook

Courtesy Access India Forum discussion


----- Original Message ----- 
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 8:58 PM Subject: 
Re: [AI] (AI) eligibility for the bank checkbook 


In case of those visually challenged account-holders, who can sign, there is no hurdle in getting issued chequebooks from banks. The problem was only with those challenged customers, who can not sign. But in 2005, Chief Commissioner, Disabilities, New Delhi has given a verdict that even in case of thhose visually challenged customers, who can not sign even, bank should issue crossed chequebooks for specific purpose i.e. to avail loan facility, to pay electricity bills etc. In such cases, thumb impression of account-holder may be attested on each cheque leaves by Bank Officer. For detailed guidelines in this regard, you may please contact to Shri T.D. Dhariyal, Deputy Chief Commissioner, Disabilities, 6, Bhagwan Das Marg, New Delhi. Phone: 011-23386054. 


However, I am serving in Punjab National Bank and I may provide guidelines issued by our Bank in this regard. 


----- Original Message ----- 
To: ""Access India""
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 5:07 PM 
Subject: [AI] (AI) eligibility for the bank checkbook 


Dear Friends, 


today I faced a problem. I wanted to take personal loan from the corporation bank Kolkata, where I have the account. the manager decline to issue the application form. the reason which he said was, since I don't have the eligibility for the cheque book I don't have the eligibility for the loan. in fact, I was ready even to furnish with a guarantor. 


I therefore request you please provide me the copy of relevant rules to claim the cheque book and to apply for the loan. the manager has said, that he will issue the loan form only once I furnish the copy of the rules. 


please help me in this regard. 


thanks in advance,