RECOMMENDATIONS PROPOSED FOR NEW ROLE OF SBCO IN DOP FINACLE

Group of SBCO Officials conducted a workshop at Circle Office of T.N Circe Chennai where lot of SBCO staff, ICO and DAP staff of T.N Circle also participated. Group deliberated the current role of SBCO and the proposed role of SBCO in the backdrop of implementation of CBS. Following are the recommendations of the Group:-

General

• As and when SOs are migrated to CBS, staff working in SOSB Branch should be reduced and re-deployed either at POSB Counters or at CPC or in the SBCO Branch for assistance in physical voucher checking.
• In every HO, at least one PA will remain in SOSB branch who will take vouchers and LOTs from Sub Account and prepare Consolidated Journal of SOs and add HO figures. That PA will report directly to Incharge of the Head Post Office and will be responsible for handing over daily return alongwith vouchers to SBCO. This PA may be assigned the work of handling deceased claim cases and Certificate related work of SOs also.
• Handling of Agent Commission Schedules and ACG-17 by SBCO will be discontinued.
• Transfer of Account Opening Form (SB-3/AOF) at the time of closure of account for the accounts opened after migration will not be transferred to SBCO alongwith Account Closure Voucher.
•  In case of any adjustment if required in interest, Postmaster/Sub Postmaster will write error book and raise the issue with Divisional head with copy of error book who will approve adjustment and send letter to SBCO Incharge.
• SBCO has to keep a watch on Freeze/Unfreeze Account report of SBGRP, RD, PPF and raise objection in case of suspicion.
• SBCO Has to keep watch on some identified Office Accounts.
• Postmaster will provide list of cheques issued by HO against matured/closed accounts of HO and SOs and List of Transactions of Postmaster Office Account 0340. SBCO has to cross verify these entries and raise objections in case of any suspicion.
• Each SO will send copy of SB Cash statement of its office  to HO and HO (SBSO Branch) will stitch all the statements chronologically and send to SBCO after adding HO SB Cash Statement to SBCO alongwith daily return.
• SBCO will cross verify these SB Cash Reports with total of Scheme-wise consolidations and preserve the same in guard file to be maintained date-wise.
• Every CBS Office will send LOT of following office accounts on daily basis alongwith SB Return to HO , duly signed by Postmaster/Sub Postmaster which will hand over to the same to SBCO alongwith LOTs of these accounts of HO on daily basis alongwith daily return:- 0340, 0382, 0017,0409, 0410, 0408, 0096, 0098, 0437, 0322, 0387, 0382, 0339, 0007

• SBCO will preserve these LOTs in a separate bundle to be maintained office-wise and date-wise. In case of suspicion, SBCO will raise objections.
•  All SBCO users should be given Finacle End User Training first (without hand on) before giving specialized SBCO training.
• There are many Finacle menus through which SBCO can test check individual accounts. This will be shown to SBCO during specialized SBCO Training and it will be optional to carry out these checks and raise issues.
• Training material of specialized training finalized by the group is attached. It is recommended that the training should be of two days.

Change in procedure of Sealing of Vouchers and LOT by CBS Post Offices

• Post Office staff will write name of Scheme and TRAN ID in red ink on the right hand side of the voucher.
• One deposit slip and one withdrawal slip will be prepared for auto-credit of MIS/SCSS/TD to Savings and Savings to RD.
• One deposit slip will be prepared for the total of each type of Agent commission credited into savings accounts supported by consolidated list of commission paid.
• At the closing of counter hours, all vouchers should sorted scheme-wise and TRAN ID wise. Vouchers should be tallied with LOT and LOT is to be signed by Counter PA as well as Supervisor.
• A consolidation of the scheme should be generated and printed by all CBS post offices.
• All vouchers including closed vouchers are to be sealed alongwith print out of consolidation. One printed copy of LOT is to be taken and attached to the voucher bundle separately. One copy of consolidation (scheme-wise) is to be preserved in post office  in guard file to be maintained scheme-wise and date-wise.

Other Changes at Post Office level

Overview of Proposed work of SBCO

SL	PRESENT NATURE OF WORK	After implementation of CBS	POSB – VOL –IV -RULE
1	Receipt of Returns	Will remain continued as at present	Rule -3
2	Checking List of Transactions  [SB -60/76]	Will remain continued as at present. SBCO has to match account number on LOT and account number on voucher and raise objection in case of difference.	Rule – 4
3	Un-posted Items	No item will remain as un-posted (may be deleted)	Rule – 6
4	Register of Non-cash transactions SB-62 [a]/85 [a]	May be deleted	Rule – 7
5	Register of Office wise [SB-63/RD85] Balances.	May be deleted	Rule – 8 & 10
6	Consolidated Journal of all the Schemes	Will remain continued as at present and will be prepared by SBSO and sent to SBCO.	Rule – 9
7	General check of vouchers & checking of vouchers	Will remain continued as at present	Rule – 11 & 15
8	Checking of Non-cash Transactions	May be deleted	Rule – 12
9	Revival of Accounts pre 01.01.2003	May be deleted	Rule – 12 [3]
10	Objection Register	Will remain continued as proposed solution of memo Pad is not giving desired results in software.	Rule – 13
11	Reporting of Minus balance	May be deleted as no minus balance will be there.	Rule – 13 [2]
12	Verification of binder balances	May be deleted	Rule – 14
13	Checking of Annual Interest	Will remain continue as done in present Scenario ( 100 accounts of each scheme are to be tested and results to be noted in Register )	Rule – 16
14	Preparation of Interest cum Silent Accounts	Only summary will be required to be sent to DAP.	Rule – 16
14.a	Annual Listing balances RD/MIS/TD/SCSS	Not required.	Rule – 39
15	Silent Account Revival Procedure	Not required	Rule – 17 (3)
16	Un-used Cheque Foils	May be continued.	Rule – 18
17	Un-deliverable & spoilt Pass books	May continued.	Rule – 19
18	Statistical Register	May be continued.	Rule – 20
19	Custody and preservation of records	May be continued.	Rule – 25
20	Monthly progress Report	Not Required.	Rule -  27
21	Checking of Agents Commission bill	Not Required.
22	Submission of returns to AO & DAP	Only Statistical Register and Interest Summary can be continued and others discontinued.	Rule - 42

Mode of handling of work          

1	Receipt of Vouchers	Physical
2	Checking List of Transactions	Physical/In system
3	Consolidated Journal	Manual /System
4	General check of vouchers & checking of vouchers	Manual/In system
5	Objection Register	Manual
6	Reporting of Minus balance	Not Required
7	Verification of office wise balances	Not Required
8	Checking of Annual Interest	In system
9	Preparation of Interest statement	Only grand summary will be prepared manually (not in system)
10	Annual Listing balances RD/MIS/TD/SCSS	Not Required
11	Un-used Cheque Foils	Manual
12	Un-deliverable & spoilt Pass books	Manual
13	Statistical Register	Manual
14	Custody and preservation of records	Manual
15	Monthly progress Report	Not Required
16	Checking of Agents Commission bill	Not Required
17	Submission of returns to DAP	Manual

Proposed duties of SBCO PA/Supervisor

• Examination of the lists of transactions of HO and SOs, Checking of entries in the consolidated Journal and checking the daily/progressive totals of different columns with Cash Book.
• General check of vouchers.
• Writing of Objections and maintenance of Objection Registers.
• Checking of Annual Interest Calculation.
• Unused Cheque Foils
• Undelivered/Spoiled Passbooks
• Statistical Registers
• Submission of Returns
• Requisition of Vouchers for Inquiry.
• Safe Custody of Keys
• Preservation of Record.
• Any other work which may be entrusted by the Supervisor/Divisional Head/AO(ICO) and through any subsequent order issuedfrom time to time.

Examination/Checking of List of Transactions (LOT)of HO and SOs,  Checking of entries in the consolidated Journal and checking the daily/ progressive totals of different columns with Cash Book.

• The  Postal Assistant SBCO will exercise the following checks:-
• (a) The account numbers in the list of transactions are entered in the serial  order of the accounts.
• (b) The list of transactions bears signatures and designation stamp of the Supervisor (APM)/Sub Postmaster.
• (c) The account number, the amount of deposit, withdrawal and interest on closed accounts have been tallied with the voucher.
• The Head Office will prepare daily a consolidated journal of S.B. deposits and withdrawals, etc. at the Head and the Sub Offices under it.
• The clerk of the Control Organization will copy the progressive figures of all columns at the end of the previous day and work out the progressive figures at the end of the day at the bottom of the consolidated journal.
• He will check the daily as well as the progressive totals of all the columns and sign the journal in token of having carried out the checks.
• Supervisor SBCO will then check the totals of deposits and withdrawals both daily as well as progressive with the corresponding figures in the Head Office Cash Book.
• He will put his dated initials in the Head Office Cash Book against the respective amounts in token of having carried out the check.
• The Certificate "checked and agreed with the HO Cash Account" will be recorded under the Supervisor's dated signature on the consolidated journal in addition to the certificate as prescribed  above.

General Check of Vouchers

SL	CATEGORY	GENERAL CHECK	Check With System
1	All Schemes	All Vouchers with LOT	Vouchers where account number or amount differs in voucher and LOT. 2.        Where there is any manual correction either on the voucher or in the LOT.

General Check:-

The entries in the vouchers are complete and there are no suspicious erasures and alterations.

(2) The date stamp of the office has been affixed on the voucher.

(3) The application for withdrawal bears the signature of the depositor.

(4) The warrant of payment bears the signature of the Postmaster in token of having authorized the payment.

(5) There is acquaintance of the depositor or his messenger on the warrant of payment in token of having received the amount.

(6) The identification of the depositor, wherever taken, is in proper form.

(7) In the case of illiterate depositor, the thumb impression has been attested on both the sides of the voucher.

8) Whether the amount of deposit/withdrawal as shown in the Pay-in-Slip and application for withdrawal by the post office and the depositor agrees with that in the List Of Transactions on the date of deposit/withdrawal. If there is any difference, full transaction should be checked in the System .

(9) That in case of withdrawal exceeding Rs. 5000/- the signature of the depositor on the withdrawal form has been attested by two postal officials  except in Single Handed Offices.

(10) In case of transactions by cheque, the rules relating to cheques have been observed. In case of CTS clearing, hard copy of the cheques will not be checked.

(11) The vouchers do not bear any erasure or over-writing.

Objection Registers

Any irregularity noticed will be entered in clear and concise words in theRegister.

If the irregularity relating to a transaction is such as would affect its validity e.g., if there is erasure or overwriting or the depositor's acquaintance is wanting, the amount involved should be placed under objection. Vouchers once received by the Control Organization should not be given back to the Head Office.

Every irregularity should be brought to the notice of the Postmaster for necessary action.

Checking of Annual Interest

SL	Name of Scheme	In present scenario, the % of checking is as follows
1	SB/PPF/SSA/NSS-87/NSS-92	Minimum100 Accounts of each scheme to be selected at random of HO and SOs (at least 5 accounts from each office) For this,  SBCO has to calculate IBB from HACLI and then calculate Interest manually to cross verify the interest. For this a register has to be maintained. this will be discontinued once all offices are migrated and interest is calculated by the system correctly.

Checks to be carried out on account of Interest Calculation

• After Interest calculation, on 1st working day of the next financial year, Silent Account maintenance Fee would appear in W/D column of SB Consolidation. SBCO has to ensure that this amount is charged by the Head Post Office in the HPO Account for its own and all Sos in jurisdiction.
• Generate Interest Balance Report of 1st April from Finacle MIS Server and account for interest credited under each scheme in HO and send report to DAP.
• Discrepancy in interest calculation found if any should be communicated to the Postmaster for HO and Divisional Head for SOs.
• Maintain Interest Adjustment Register manually and execute Interest Adjustments in Finacle through HIARM menu after getting approval from the competent authority.

Unused Cheque Foils

• If the depositor of the cheque account closes his account or ceases to avail of the cheque facilities, the Postmaster will take over from him the cheque book containing unused cheques.
• At the close of the day the Postmaster will transfer the partly used cheque books to the Control Organization duly entered in the voucher list.
• The Incharge SBCO will cancel the unused cheque foils under his dated signature on each cheque and keep them in his personal custody.
• The Control Organization will enter the particulars of unused cheques in a manuscript register in the following form after noting the date of receipt on the top. The serial number of the register will be in an annual series starting from No. 1 in April.
• These cheque leaves should be destroyed during inspection of AO(ICO) in his presence.

Undelivered/Spoiled Passbooks

• If the depositor of the cheque account closes his account or ceases to avail of the cheque facilities, the Postmaster will take over from him the cheque book containing unused cheques.
• At the close of the day the Postmaster will transfer the partly used cheque books to the Control Organization duly entered in the voucher list.
• The Incharge SBCO will cancel the unused cheque foils under his dated signature on each cheque and keep them in his personal custody.
• The Control Organization will enter the particulars of unused cheques in a manuscript register in the following form after noting the date of receipt on the top. The serial number of the register will be in an annual series starting from No. 1 in April.
• These cheque leaves should be destroyed during inspection of AO(ICO) in his presence.
• As and when a fresh pass book is issued in lieu of a spoilt one, spoilt pass book will be transferred by the Head Office to the Control Organization duly entered in the Savings Bank voucher list
• The Control Organization will enter the particulars of the spoilt pass books in a manuscript register in the following form.
• The Serial No. in the register will be in an annual series starting from No. 1 in April. The pass books will be kept in an almirah in the personal custody of the Supervisor.
• Will Follow Items
• If for any reason, a voucher does not accompany the list/of transactions, the remark "will follow" must have been noted by the head office against the relevant entry.
• In case such a remark has not been noted by the head office, the official should bring this to the notice of the Postmaster immediately without damaging the seal on the bundle of vouchers.
• An entry should also be made in the "Register of vouchers not received" in form prescribed at Annexure 3 and the Serial number of the entry in the register should be noted against the relevant account number in the list of transactions .

Statistical Registers

• The Supervisor/PA incharge Control Organization will maintain a statistical register  for each scheme.
• Postings in this register will be made for the Head Office as a whole at the end of each month from the following records.
• Consolidated Journal of S.B. Deposits and Withdrawals and interest on closed accounts.
• No. of accounts treated silent from Statistical report.
• Summary of annual interest statement

Submission of Returns

Sl. No.	Particular of return	Office to which due	Due date
1	Copy of the statistical register	Postal Accounts  Office	By the 10th  of the following month
2.	Report of Silent Accounts	PAO	By the 10th  of the following month
3	Annual Interest Summary	PAO & AO(ICO)	In the month of April.

Requisition of Vouchers for Inquiry

• May be given to the Divisional Supdt/Postmaster under receipt
• requisition be signed personally by the Divisional Supdt/Postmaster.
• If any voucher is required for investigation by the police, the police should send the application to the Head of the Postal Circle
• keeping an a nested copy of the voucher in its place, the voucher should be delivered to the Police authorities after getting the copy of the voucher attested by the officer concerned..
• The voucher/document should be sent by insured post when it cannot be conveniently transferred by hand under receipt .
• Record of the vouchers given be maintained in a separate register and case pursued by the C.O. to obtain back the voucher/document.
• When the voucher/document is received back, it is kept in its proper place by the in charge SBCO The requisition slip and the attested copy will be removed and kept in a separate file. The bundle will be again resealed.             
• The vouchers/documents required to be preserved in connection with fraud cases will be made over to the Divisional Supdt till the finalization of case and need not be preserved by the SBCO.
• Note:- It is not open to Postmasters, Inspectors, etc. to see in person or to call back any record or document except on a written requisition. Whenever any voucher or document is required by these officers, the same may be obtained on a written requisition only.

Safe custody of Keys,

• The duplicate keys of steel almirahs, etc. supplied to S.B.C.O. will be kept by the A.O.ICO(SB) in his personal custody.
• The Supervisor SBCO will send all the duplicate keys by parcel post registered and insured for Rs. 100 to the A.O.ICO(SB) after entering their number in a list to be prepared in triplicate.
• When the original key is lost by the C.O. the matter will be reported to the A.O.ICO(SB) who will authorize the issue of duplicate key. The A.O. will make necessary entries in the register and attest them.
• The duplicate key will be sent by parcel post registered and insured for Rs.100.

Preservation of Record

• —  LIST OF TRANSACTION                                 1 YEAR 
• —  VOUCHERS                                                   5  YEARS
• —  CONSOLIDATED JOURNAL                            1 YEAR
• —  UNDELIVERABLE PASSBOOKS                    1  YEAR
• —  STATISTICAL REGISTER                                3 YEARS
• —  OBJECTION REGISTER                                 2 Years after settlement of all objections.
• —  Interest Adjustment Register                           5 Years.
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Courtesy : http://sapost.blogspot.in