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Message-ID: <417790B2EA0E47AE80EE378980973A77@VikasKapoor>
From: "Vikas Kapoor" <dl.vikas@gmail.com>
To: "Pratap Singh Bisht" <pratap_m00@yahoo.co.in>
Subject: New Banking Guidelines from I B A
Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 19:08:56 +0530
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IBA CIRCULAR
No.CE/RB-1/vip/1766
November 18, 2008

The Chief Executives of all Member Banks

Dear Sirs,

Providing Banking Facilities to Visually Impaired Persons

We refer to our circular No.CIR/RB/1230 dated February 4, 2006 enclosing 
procedural guidelines on the captioned subject. Subsequent to which, we have 
received several representations from visually impaired persons regarding 
the facilities and services being provided by banks and the ground level 
difficulties being faced by them. As you are aware, procedural guidelines 
were issued in the context of the order dated September 5, 2005 passed by 
the Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, New Delhi 
regarding facilities to be provided to visually impaired persons.

Following complaints from Visually Impaired Persons, the Commissioner for 
Persons with Disabilities had again issued an advisory to the Finance 
Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2008 to take necessary 
steps to ensure that visually impaired persons are not denied normal banking 
facilities.

Subsequently, the RBI, vide circular DBOD.No.Leg BC.91/09.07.005/2007-08 
dated 4th June 2008 advised banks that all banks must render the same 
services to a visually impaired person as it would to any other person 
without discrimination. The Circular stated that the banks, must provide the 
visually impaired with every facility viz., cheque Book facility, ATM 
facility, net banking facility, locker facility, retail loans, credit cards 
etc.

Following the above RBI circular, we had examined the need to revise the 
procedural guidelines issued in February 2006 in consultation with IBA 
Sub-committee on Customer Service and Customer Rights. We also had 
interactions with a Mumbai based voluntary organization working for the 
welfare of Impaired persons. The interactions indicated that technology 
innovation in the recent years had greatly empowered visually impaired 
persons in leading a normal life. Technology applications such as screen 
readers for computers and mobile phones, which are being used by the 
visually impaired persons for online/net banking, were demonstrated to us. 
Visually impaired persons can read and understand printed documents etc. by 
first scanning them and then getting them read out by the screen reader.

-//-

PAGE : 2 :

Further, we have seen demonstration of finger print technology being 
developed by software firm which would enable banks to store thumb 
impression of visually impaired persons in place of signature in their 
system. Cheques authenticated by them with thumb impression can be scanned 
and the image compared with that stored in the system to honor the cheque. 
It is suggested that when this technology is fully developed and made 
available in the market, banks should consider integrating it with their 
core banking platform so that cheque book facility can be extended to a 
larger segment of visually impaired persons.

Our attention was also drawn to the United Nations Convention on the Rights 
of Persons with Disabilities, which clearly commits to rights of persons 
with disability and their access to services. Article 9 of the Convention 
enables persons with disabilities to live independently and participate 
fully in all aspects of life and also gives them access to facilities and 
services open or provided to the public, both in urban and rural areas. 
Additionally, Article 12 states “ Parties shall take all appropriate and 
effective measures to ensure the equal right of persons with disabilities to 
own or inherit property, to control their own financial affairs and to have 
equal access to bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit, 
and shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not arbitrarily deprived 
of their property."

It is expected that the guidelines issued by the RBI would result in an 
increase in the number of ATM cards issued to visually impaired persons. 
This would enhance the case for installation of talking ATMs to facilitate 
hassle free operations by visually impaired persons. Banks are requested to 
consider installing talking ATMs wherever feasible.

Keeping in view the above, we have revised the procedural guidelines for 
providing banking facilities to visually impaired persons, copy of which is 
enclosed. While finalizing the document the Sub-Committee took into 
consideration that request for ATM facilities, online banking facilities 
etc., would come only from visually impaired persons who are capable of 
using the applications. Members are requested to kindly consider the revised 
procedural guidelines and issue necessary instructions to the operating 
staff.

Yours faithfully,

K Unnikrishnan
Dy. Chief Executive

Encl:A/a

PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR BANKING FACILITIES TO
VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS

I. General Instructions

Banking facilities for visually impaired persons should be offered at all 
branches of the bank.

Banks should not equate visually impaired customers with illiterate 
customers.

All Banks must provide the same facilities to a visually impaired 
customer/prospective customer as it would to any other customer. But at the 
same time the customers should be made aware of the risk involved in some of 
these facilities which may be higher than that for a normal customer.

Additional facilities like reading and filling up of forms, slips, cheques 
should be provided to a visually impaired customer, if required.

Banks should not deny any services to visually impaired customers including 
visually impaired customers who use their thumb impression for operating the 
bank account.

A visually impaired customer must not be forced to operate the bank account 
jointly with any person or in the presence of any person.

Visually impaired customers may be allowed to appoint a person/persons as 
their       Power of Attorney or Mandate Holder to operate their bank 
account if the visually impaired customer so desires.

II. Opening of Bank Accounts

All banking products offered by the bank should be made available to 
visually impaired persons.

The bank must follow the same procedure for opening the account of a 
visually impaired person as it does for its other customers.

He / She must be allowed to open the account either singly or jointly with 
others.

The Bank must allow the visually impaired customer to open a joint account 
with anybody that he/she chooses including person(s) who is/are visually 
impaired.

The Officer / Manager of the branch should read out the rules of business 
and other terms and conditions in the presence of a witness, if required by 
the customer.

The bank branch manager must inform a visually impaired customer/prospective 
customer of his rights and liabilities before opening the account.

The documentation requirements of a visually impaired customer must be the 
same as any other customer.

The account has to be clearly marked as "the account holder is visually 
impaired".

III. Withdrawal of cash / Cheque book facility

Facilities for withdrawal of cash as are provided to all customers regarding 
cash payments must be provided to visually impaired customers.

In case a visually impaired customer makes cash withdrawals at the bank then 
the payment must be made in the presence of another bank employee/officer. 
No outside witnesses are required unless the visually impaired customer 
requests that such witnesses be present.

Operations should not be restricted to self-withdrawals.

Cheque book facility should not be denied to visually impaired person.

All procedures pertaining to the use of such cheque books by visually 
impaired customers must be in accordance with that the other customers.

Cheques issued by visually impaired persons to third parties should be 
honoured, if otherwise in order.

IV.    Credit Cards /Debit Cards

Visually impaired customers must be issued credit cards/debit cards on 
request.

All rules and regulation regarding credit/debit card must be available on 
the web-site of the respective bank in accessible format. These should be 
read out to visually impaired persons and perceived risk factors explained 
to them.

Banks may consider issuing Credit/Debit Card with Photograph. This 
Photograph will work as a identification/verification.


V.  ATM/Debit Cards

Visually impaired customers must be permitted to avail of ATM facilities.

Banks should also ensure that the ATMs are accessible to other categories of 
persons with disabilities such as the orthopedically disabled.

VI. On Line Banking / Mobile Banking and Tele Banking/Phone Banking

All banks must have Accessible websites and conform to international 
accessibility standards.

All customer facing applications such as web applications, desktop 
applications and mobile applications should be accessible to visually 
impaired persons.

The banks should have alternate methods of user authentication/password 
verification.

All features especially those related to customer security must be 
accessible visually impaired persons.

VII. Lockers

Visually impaired customers should be provided with locker facility on 
request.

Suitable lockers conveniently located for operations may be allotted.

Bank procedures for issuing a locker to a visually impaired customer must be 
the same as to any other customer.

A visually impaired customer may be given the following options for 
operation of locker:

Operation – Singly
Operation - Singly with the assistance of a reliable person, as per the 
choice of the Applicant.
Operation - Jointly.

A visually impaired customer may request the person in-charge of the locker 
to be present when the locker is opened or to check if nothing has been left 
behind or fallen after the locker is closed.

VIII. Loans

Loans must be made available to visually impaired customers as are offered 
to other customers and their impairment of vision should not be a criterion 
for sanctioning/denying a loan.

No additional burden of interest payment, collateral and other terms should 
be imposed on the visually impaired customer.

**********
Vikas Kapoor,
MSN Id:dl_vikas@hotmail.com, Yahoo&Skype Id: dl_vikas,
Mobile: (+91) 9891098137.