The Office of Banking Ombudsman (OBO), Dehradun conducted an awareness camp for senior citizens and pensioners to address their banking related requirements and complaints here on Friday.
In the camp 70 pensioners and office bearers of pensioners’ associations participated in the program. The programme included a detailed presentation on the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, after which the participants were apprised of the various guidelines issued by Reserve Bank of India to banks to protect their interest.
Addressing the participants the General Manager (GM) and Officer-in-Charge, Dehradun Regional Office, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Subrata Das said that RBI is fully conscious of the banking expectations of senior citizens and accordingly issues requisite instructions to banks from time to time. He informed that the RBI has asked the banks to involve senior citizens in bank level customer committees, offer more liberal service charges for special categories of individuals such as senior citizens, rural customers and pensioners, ensure availability of proper furniture, drinking water, and facilities for differently abled people at branches. The apex bank asks the banks to compulsorily provide passbook to all account holders, prominently display service charge and fees within bank premises. RBI has also provided a web-link in the RBI Website to the websites of all the banks so that bank customers may know the service charges and fees in different banks for different services.
The participants were informed that that they can lodge their complaint at bodehradun@rbi.org.in or call at 0135-274003. The participants appreciated the programme and shared their problems as well as suggestions for improving banking services for senior citizens.