SB ORDER NO. 25/2010

SB ORDER NO. 25/2010

No.113-7/2008-SB

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & IT

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,

New Delhi-110001, Dated: 23.12.2010

To

All Heads of Circles/Regions

Addl. Director General, APS, New Delhi.

Subject:-       New procedure for payment of amount of Savings bank/Certificates in the name of deceased depositors/holders- replacement of Rule 87 of POSB Manual Vol-I and Rule 50 of POSB Manual Vol-II regarding.

Sir / Madam,

The undersigned is directed to say that this office was receiving number of complaints of abnormal delay in settlement of deceased claim cases of POSB as well as certificates particularly where there is no nomination or legal evidence. To minimize the complaints and to facilitate the claimants for early settlement of claim cases, the whole procedure laid down in Rule 87 of POSB Manual Vol-I and Rule 50 of POSB Manual Vol-II has been reviewed.

2.         During the review, it is found that the present procedure being adopted is very old and cumbersome due to which post offices are taking time to settle the claims. It has been decided to devise a new procedure which will replace the existing procedure laid down in Rule 87 of POSB Manual Vol-I for SB Accounts (all schemes except SCSS & PPF) and Rule 50 of POSB Manual Vol-II for certificates. Main features and major changes made are given below:-

POSB Accounts

•       Form of preferring claim has been revised. New Claim form has been devised.

•       There will be only one Claim Form for all the three types of claims i.e (a) with nomination (b) with legal evidence (c) without legal evidence. SB-84 claim form will be discontinued. In case of no nomination/legal evidence, the claimant has to produce three documents i.e a) Affidavit (b) Letter of Indemnity and (c) Letter of disclaimer on Affidavit as prescribed in SCSS-2004 by MOF(DEA).

•     No separate sanction memo will be issued and no Account closure Form will be required after sanction as both these options are available in the claim form itself.

•     Proof of death is to be given by the claimant in original after which no further enquiry is required to be done by the sanctioning authority.

•       Claimant has to give two witnesses on the claim form and his/her ID as well as Address proof along with claim form. After acceptance of witnesses by BPM/SPM/PM or Sr. PM on the claim form, no further enquiry will be required to be done about genuineness of claimant by the sanctioning authority.

•       Every Post Office where the claim will be preferred has to forward the claim to the post office where the account stands by service Insured post on the very day of its receipt.

•       The post office where the account stands, on receipt of the claim either directly or by Insured Post will issue acknowledgment to the claimant on the same day and settle the case within 7 working days if the claim falls under its financial powers or forward the same to the sanctioning authority by service Insured Post on the day of its receipt.

•       Every administrative office will dispose off the claim case within 7 working days of the receipt of the same.

•       Responsibility will be fixed for delay in settlement beyond 7 working days.

•     Taking a Proof of death in original, two witnesses, ID and Address proof of the claimant and three legal documents i.e  (a) Affidavit (b) Letter of Indemnity and (c) Letter of disclaimer on Affidavit will be the safe procedure to absolve the post office from any legal responsibility.

•       All payments of deceased claim cases will be made by crossed cheque only.

Savings Certificates

•       Present Claim forms in case of Nomination and Legal evidence have been retained.

•       SB-84 has been discontinued and in case of no nomination or legal evidence, the claimant has to submit the new prescribed form along with three legal documents as prescribed in case of SB accounts.

•     All other features will be same as of POSB Accounts.

3.         This may kindly brought to the notice of all post offices.

This new procedure will be applicable from 1.1.2011 or from the date of receipt of this order.

4.         This issues with the approval of Secretary Posts.

Yours faithfully,

(Kawal Jit Singh)

Assistant Director (SB)

To download the complete Order please click on http://www.indiapost.gov.in/Pdf/SB_Orders_01-01-2007.pdf