Letter on Minus balances to PMG CCR

 141/CCS/2012                                                                                               Dated : 24-12-2012

To

Brig. G. Bhuyan

The Post master General,

Chennai city Region, Chennai -600002.

Sir,   Sub: -Action of Administration for the  Settlement of Minus Balances

                    in Savings Bank Accounts and consequent problems faced by the staff

         C/O Chennai city south Division –reg

Please recall my discussion with the PMG Sir on 19-12-2012 relating to the

above subject.

          The  Divisional  Administration  of  Chennai  city  South Division  has been  ordering  the officials  for  recovery from their salary to make adjustment of  Minus balances in Savings Accounts, citing them alone are responsible   for   the cause of the Minus balances.

The following points are the main  reasons for the cause of Minus balances.

1. The SBCO was computerized during the years of 1997-1999. The HO SB

Branch of St. Thomas Mount HPO was undertaken in the year 2002-03.As the LAN connection was not existent at that time the, SBCO figures were  transferred to HOSB without proper verification and agreement .   The SB branch work in  `Sanchay  post` was   introduced  without  any  balance  agreement  with SBCO data,  which was  the main reason for the present day minus balances. The  same  is  the  case  when the Sub offices SB were computerized during 2007-08.

2. The  SBCO  had  kept  lot of  items with  huge  amounts as `Unposted`  at

that time and  these were not cleared  during the transfer of data to`Sanchay post’. Hence the accuracy of the balance was totally absent.

3.For  the  Computerization  of  Savings bank,  the  Administration  fixed  a

target date and chased the officials towards that date. But the Administration was not keen to ensure the `perfect work `of computerization.  The  officials

engaged in that work were also put in high speed to finish the work in target date de-linking  the perfection in work , resulted in total confusion caused for a minus balance in later date.

4.Though these  data were not perfect, to avoid the public complaint  the  officials had to  rely  upon only  the balance available   in  the  pass book,  which was having the omissions like part II withdrawals etc., resulted in minus balances.

5. When the V2SBCO data was transferred to Sanchay Post, the Part II transactions were shown as Zero, but the balance in the account will be correctly reflected. Whenever a correction is made by the Sub Office through Data Entry Module, the Sanchay Post will omit all the Part II transactions in that account and the balance after correction  will  be inflated.  resulted  in  minus balances.

6. In St. Thomas Mount HPO, because of the perennial acute shortage of staff added with more  number  of  deputations  to  Circle  office and Regional office the most important branches like HO SB were kept either vacant or short posted and the staff  including outsourced were given to clear the enormous accumulated work ahead of  march Interest posting , naturally the  work would be completed hurriedly without quality and with so many posting omissions are the main reasons for minus balances.

7. The basic data now available in all Sub Offices are defective and could not be relied upon. There are four sets of balance exist for an account such as       a) V2 SBCO balance

b) HO SB Branch Balance

c)  SO Sanchay post balance

d)Pass Book Balance

 and all the four data differ from one another they cannot be taken as correct.

However, for day today work in the counter to serve the customer, the Data available at Sub Office is being relied upon. The mistakes arising out of this must  not be fixed against the official who has relied on the data provided by the Divisional Administration by transferring  it from V2 SBCO data.

8. Despite all those short comings, the officials attended these duties had performed heavy work with total dedication in the interest of the department as well as members of public. But very much painful to perceive is that the Administration instead of appreciating the hard and sincere work of  the staff, rather  resorted  to penalize them monetarily citing  the  Rule 58 of FHB Volume I.

  

           Though there is a   clear cut  provision  is available under Rule 18 of   POSB General Rules 1981 to recover the excess payment of money from the  depositors the Administration is not moving on that direction.  The Rule stipulates as `The Head Savings Bank shall be competent to recover any interest or any other amount paid in excess in the same manner as an arrears of land Revenue`[ Rule 18 of The POSB General Rules 1981]

As it is very much known fact that the officials have not taken the money, only the Depositors are  on the gaining side, then  why  there  should  be a hesitation to the Administration to initiate the action against  the  Depositors under the above  SB Rules and protect the innocent staff.

Hence my circle union request the PMG Sir, to handle the whole issue on these lines  to  recover the   excess amount paid  from  the   concerned Depositors  under Rule 18 of PO SB General Rules, 1981 as an arrears of land revenue, instead of penalizing the innocent staff.

         

It is also understood that  orders for recovery of minus balance from the officials in the name of official  at fault has been issued by RO/CO.

This action may please be kept pending till the matter is sorted out as per our Circle union request.

With kind regards,                                                                   Yours sincerely

                                                                                           G.P.Muthukrishnan

                                                                                             Circle secretary