The State Bank of Pakistan on Wednesday submitted before the Supreme Court here that it had taken all possible measures to implement the order of the Court that commercial banks should make proper arrangements in their countrywide branches for receiving utility bills payment.
A three-member 'full bench' comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Sayed Saeed Ashhad had taken suo motu notice of the plight of the consumers and passed an order on May 8 directing all banks authorised to collect utility bills, to provide facility of drinking water and sheds immediately in accordance with Municipal Laws to the consumers who have to stand in queue during the hot season.
Deputy Attorney General Naheeda Mehboob and Director Banking Policy Department SBP appeared before the Court and submitted a 'compliance report' of the State Bank.
She said that the SBP had convened two meetings on May 24 & 31, 2006, under the chairmanship of SBP Governor to consider and deliberate the issues of providing facilities and smooth deposit of utility bills by customers in the light of Supreme Court's directions.
She said that the first meeting was convened with all heads of utility companies, Presidents/Chief Executives of banks, DG Pakistan Post Office, Chairmen of Nepra, Ogra and PTA and Chairman of Pakistan Banks Association on May 24, 2006.
The other meeting was held with the senior officials of Ministries of Finance, Water & Power, Communication, Petroleum & Natural Resources, Directorate of National Savings, Pakistan Post Office and Utility Companies on May 31, 2006.
In these meetings, State Bank Governor stressed that both the banks and the utility companies had to share the responsibility to treat the consumers with respect. Therefore, an efficient system for expeditious depositing of utility bills may be ensured to avoid long queues and provision of basic facilities like sheds and drinking water etc.
The 'compliance report' said that after deliberations, in which the participants expressed their views freely, the SBP Governor took following decisions:
1) To address the capacity issues, the State Bank will require all commercial banks branches to collect utility bills which will result in another about 1800 branches receiving bills for payment (presently about 5,400 bank branches are accepting utility bills and after requiring all commercial banks, total number of branches will increase to 7200 bank branches).
2) All bank branches should provide sheds, as permissible under Local Municipal Laws, and drinking water to the customers who approach the branches for payment of utility bills.
3) The Managing Director, Sui Northern Gas Company and PBA Chairman in consultation with other stakeholders will finalise a uniform bar code system for collection of utility bills at the counters of bank branches within a period of three months. Thereafter, the banks will be allowed to finalize the arrangements for expeditious collection of utility bills.
4) Pakistan Post Office will consider the designation of more post offices (up to 4000) for collection of utility bills. They will also send a formal paper to SBP highlighting the efforts made by them in this regard.
5) National Savings have 387 centres which are providing services to about 4 million customers on different government saving schemes. Since they are already facing the problem of shortage of space and congestion in their centres, as also they are under restructuring and computerisation process, it will be difficult for them to collect utility bills from general public.
6) Wapda, which has about 15.8 million customers at present (growing by 0.7 million annually), will consider and finalise arrangements to stagger their billing of lifeline customers (about 4 million) on bi-monthly basis.
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