THE GOVERNMENT SAVINGS PROMOTION GENERAL RULES, 2018

THE GOVERNMENT SAVINGS PROMOTION GENERAL RULES, 2018

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1.The Government Savings Promotion General Rules, 2018 shall come into force from 05.10.2018.

Opening of an account.-

(i) An illiterate or a blind or visually challenged individual desiring to open an account shall personally visit the Accounts Office for authentication of his signature or thumb impression by the Accounts Office provided he shall be accompanied by a person known to the Accounts Office and a literate person may be authorised by the blind or visually challenged depositor to operate an Account on his behalf.

(ii) An illiterate depositor shall be assisted by the Authorised Officer of Accounts office for opening (filling up of forms etc.) and operating the account and thumb impression of the illiterate depositor shall be witnessed by an independent witness acceptable to the Accounts Office on each occasion of withdrawal.

Types of accounts.-

(1) An Account may be opened either as a Single Account or as a Joint Account.

(2) Joint Accounts shall be of two types, namely:-

Joint ‘A’ type, to be operated by all the depositors or the surviving depositors jointly; and Joint ‘B’ type, to be operated by any of the depositors or the surviving depositors severally.

(3) An account opened as a Single Account cannot be subsequently converted into a Joint Account or vice versa.

(4) A depositor in a single account under a Savings Scheme desirous of opening a joint account under the same Savings Scheme may do so subject to the overall ceiling on the amount of deposit or the number of accounts, applicable to that Savings Scheme.

(5) A depositor in a Joint Account under a Savings Scheme, desirous of opening a Single Account under the same Savings Scheme, may do so subject to the overall ceiling on the amount of deposit, and the number of accounts, applicable to the Savings Scheme.

Operation of an account opened in the name of a minor.-

(1) An Account opened in the name of a minor shall be operated by:- (i) the guardian, if opened by the guardian;

(ii) the minor, if opened by the minor.

(2) In case of an account opened in the name of a minor by the guardian and if the minor attains majority during the period the account is in operation, the account shall be operated by the depositor and the depositor shall submit a revised application along with the documents for opening of an account to the Accounts Office and the signature of the depositor who has become major shall be attested on the revised application form by the guardian who opened the account.

(3) In the event of the death of the minor or a person of unsound mind, the eligible balance shall be paid to the nominee:

Provided that in case of accounts opened before 01.04.2018, wherein no nomination was permissible, the eligible balance shall be paid to the guardian.

(4) In the event of death of the guardian, the succeeding guardian shall be eligible to operate the account of the Minor or the person of unsound mind, as the case may be.

Transfer of an account.-

(1) An account opened under these rules may be transferred from one Accounts Office to another Accounts Office, whether under the same Government Savings Bank or another, anywhere in India by submitting an application along with prescribed fees specified in Schedule II, and passbook or savings certificate in original to the Accounts Office where the account is maintained or to the Accounts Office where the account is intended to be transferred.

(2) In case the application for transfer is submitted to an Accounts Office where the account is intended to be transferred, the said Accounts Office shall forward the request of the depositor to the Accounts Office where the account is maintained for taking requisite action in this regard.

(3) In case of transfer of an account from one Government Savings Bank to another, the Accounts Office where the account stands, on receipt of such request shall effect the transfer immediately, and forward the following original documents to the transferee Accounts Office namely:-

(i) Account Opening Form

(ii) Specimen signatures of the depositors

(iii) Particulars of nomination

(iv) Identity documents

(v) Updated Account Statement or Ledger

(vi) Certified copy of Savings Certificate in case of Savings Certificate

(vii) Pay Order of Demand Draft in respect of the balance at the credit of the account

Nomination.-

(1) A Depositor in a Single Account, or the depositors in a joint account, as the case may be, shall nominate one or more individuals as nominee but not exceeding four individuals, who in the event of the death of the depositor in a Single Account or all the depositors in a joint account, shall be entitled to receive the eligible balance. Such nomination shall be made at the time of opening of the account by furnishing the following information.

(i) Name(s) of the nominee(s):

(ii) Percentage share each nominee shall be entitled to:

(iii) Whether the nominee shall receive the amount as a beneficiary with absolute and exhaustive right of ownership or as a trustee for the benefit of the legal heirs of depositor.

(2) In case of accounts, except those in the name of a minor or a person of unsound mind, opened before the 01.04.2018, and where no nomination has been made, the depositor shall do so immediately and in any case before the maturity of the account.

(3) In case of an account opened by a minor or on behalf of a minor or a person of unsound mind, as the case may be, the nomination shall be made by the guardian, who may nominate any individual, including himself in this regard:

Provided that in respect of such accounts opened before

01.04.2018, no nomination shall be allowed and in the event of the death of the depositor, the eligible amount shall be paid to the guardian.

(4) The thumb impression of an illiterate depositor at the time of making nomination or altering the nomination shall be attested by two witnesses. No witness shall be required in case of a literate depositor for the purpose.

Pledging of an account.-

(1) Where the provision of the Savings Scheme so permit, an Account may be pledged or transferred as security, on an application made by the depositor supported with acceptance letter from the pledgee.

(2) Transfer of an account under this rule may be made to-

(i) the President of India or the Governor of a State in his official capacity;

(ii) the Reserve Bank of India or a Scheduled Bank or a Cooperative Society, including a Co-operative Bank;

(iii) a Public or Private Corporation or a Government Company; (iv) Local authority;

(v) a housing finance company approved by the National Housing Bank and notified by the Central Government.

Payment of the eligible balance in an account held by Army, Air Force and Navy personnel.-

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in rules 14 and 15, where a depositor serving in the Army, Air Force or Navy dies or deserts, the Commanding Officer of the Corps, department, detachment, unit or ship to which the depositor belonged, or the Committee of Adjustment, as the case may be, may send a requisition to the authorised officer of the accounts office where the account stands for payment of the eligible amount to the Commanding Officer or the Committee of adjustment.

(2) The authorised officer of the accounts office shall be bound to comply with such requisition even though there is in force at the time of death or desertion of the depositor a nomination made in favour of any person.

Recovery of excess amount paid.- Any amount not due but erroneously paid to a depositor, guardian, nominee or any other person authorised by the depositor shall be recoverable by the Government in the same manner as the arrears of land revenue from such depositor, guardian, nominee, or any other authorised person, as the case may be.

Fee for services.- The fees shall be charged for rendering various services as specified in Schedule II of these rules.

Responsibility of Accounts Office.-

The Accounts Office shall be responsible for;

(1) The Accounts Officer shall furnish such data, reports, information, documents and evidence as may be required, and facilitate inspection of records, as may be deemed necessary in relation to any account by the Central Government.

(2) If at any stage it is found that an account has been opened, or a deposit made, in contravention of the rules, the Accounts Office shall close the account forthwith and refund the amount deposited without any interest

(3) The responsibility shall not vest with the Accounts Office under the following circumstances; namely:-

(i) for any fraudulent withdrawal by a person by obtaining possession of a passbook or savings certificate or the cheque book while in the custody of the depositor, and where the Accounts Office has applied all due diligence and caution while making such payment.

(ii) for any act, whatsoever, committed by a person or agent duly authorised by the depositor to act on his behalf with respect to the operation of an account.

(iii) for any action taken in good faith by the Authorised Officer of the accounts Office.

Applicability of old rules.- In respect of a question or a matter relating to any of the Savings Scheme, prior to the date of commencement of these rules, the provisions of the Post Office Savings Bank General Rules, 1981 shall apply.

Schedule-II

Fees to be charge for Services:-

1. Issue of duplicate pass book - Rs.50/-

2. Issue of statement of account or deposit receipt- Rs.20/- in each case.

3. Issue of pass book in lieu of lost or mutilated certificate –Rs.10/- per Registration.

4. Cancellation or change of nomination –Rs. 50/-

5. Transfer of account – Rs. 100/-

6. Pledging of account – Rs. 100/-

7. Issue of cheque book in Savings Bank Account –

No fee for upto10 leaves in a calendar year and thereafter at Rs. 2/- per cheque leaf.

8. Charges on dishonour of cheque- Rs. 100/-

9. Tax as applicable on the above service charges shall also be payable.

By

P.Karunanithy, B.Sc., Retired SPOs

Cell 9443329681

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