ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION OFINSPECTORS AND ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS POSTSKerala Circle
No. AIAIPASP/2010 date: 25-05-10ToSmt.
Sobha Koshy
Chief Postmaster General, Kerala Circle, Trivandrum -33
Madam,
I would like to draw your kind attention to the recent orders issued by the DOP in regard to introduction of Anti-Money Laundering/Combating Financing of Terrorism - norms for small savings schemes of our department. The above SB Order No. 8/2010 communicated vide DOP No. 116-01/2010-SB dated 08.02.2010 stipulates that all applications for opening of SB/RD accounts and NSCs/KVPs should accompany three pass port size photographs, identity proof and address proof of the depositors. As you are aware that major chunk of our depositors are hailing from the rural India and the deposits are in small sums. The Small Saving Schemes of our department are intended to enrich the habits of comparatively poor labours to save something from their livelihood to achieve some of their small ambitions on a later date. The order ibid deliberated to curb the anti national activities of people incensed by the insensitivity, will ultimately affect these small investors their investments will normally reach in hundreds only. I believe that these orders will only help to keep the villagers away from the post offices and private money launderers prevailing in villages would easily corner this small banking business. The RPLI and other services inducted by the department focusing rural villagers had created an indelible imprint in the minds of people about the services of the department as a friend next to their doorstep and their relation with our dept begun to acquire and unstoppable momentum as never before. These new requisites for opening SB/RD accounts, costing additional expenditure for them, will have negative impact for our marketing strategies to enlist more customers to our clientele. In addition to all above, confusion prevailing in field units also in implementing the above SB orders. Our GDS are taking earnest efforts to canvass more SB/RD deposits in their BOs as a result of our constant persuasion and the new mandate will result in loss of new accounts to us. In the above circumstances, I request your good self to kindly take up the matter with higher ups and exempt the application of above norms our Small Saving Schemes or at least to the extent of RD accounts in Post Offices.
Yours faithfully
P.AJIT KUMAR
Circle Secretary
