Small savings continue its vital role in developing the economy of the country but such account holders are being discouraged by banks imposing service charges after introduction of Islamic banking system. Maybe to balance their dwindled profits?
1) Account holders having less than Rs 5000 in accounts are charged Rs 50 every month or say 12% per annum. However, government employees, Armed forces employees, pensioners, students and mustahqeen of Zakat are exempted to maintain prescribed balance whereas all others are bound to have the balance of Rs 5000 in their accounts.
2) Companies have opened special "Salary A/C's" of its staff members for disbursement of salary. Banks now charge Rs 15 on each account for transferring their salary from company's account.
3) Banks recover the commission on pay order/demand draft as per normal practice and in addition to that charge Rs 50 to Rs 500 per document either it may be of Rs 100 or Rs One lac.
4) Banks charge Rs 50 per statement of A/c outside agreed periodical cycle say six monthly. Thus service is not rendered by the bank and rather taken from customers for each movement.
5) Rs l00 charged on every cheque bounced in clearing house. What we may call it rendering service or demanding ransom money for having account.
6) Rs 3 per cheque are charged for every cheque book issued. Surprising to note that cost of printing cheque would not be more than Rs 1/-say 200% profit on cheques!
7) The worst example of bank service is visible in currency note bundles issued to public which are full of mutilated, torn and useless notes subject to return to State Bank for destroying. I doubt whether the State Bank has ever instructed the banks to pack separate bundles of such currency notes for returning to its treasury.
It is evident from the present state of affairs that one cannot save Rs 5000 for retention in accounts. Saving account holders are paid 2% to 3% profit which could vanish in case above deductions continued throughout the year.
The State Bank should take note and consider the better ways and to pass on the above burden on advancing millions and millions of rupees only on documents. Small saving account holders must be encouraged by disabusing more profits so that they may survive.