'Women beneficiaries penalised, TN govt should take it up with the banks'

Chennai, Sep 19 (IANS) Beneficiaries under the Tamil Nadu’s Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (Kalaignar Women Entitlement Scheme) are being penalised by the banks for not maintaining minimum balance and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin should take up the issue with the banks, the Tamil Nadu Bank Employees’ Federation (TNBEF) said on Tuesday.

 The Tamil Nadu government deposits Rs 1,000 per month in the savings bank accounts of the beneficiaries under the scheme.

In a letter to Stalin, TNBEF Chairman C.H.Venkatachalam pointed out the two types of savings bank accounts - zero balance or no frills account and normal account where a minimum balance has to be maintained.

Since many beneficiaries have given their bank account details which are of a regular bank account, they are being charged for lack of minimum balance, he said.

As per rules, the zero balance/no frills account can be converted to a normal savings bank account and the reverse is not allowed.

"Hence, government should kindly advise the Banks a) either to waive all these penalty charges or b) allow the regular savings accounts to be converted into zero balance/no frill bank account so that the beneficiaries do not face the difficulties of any penalty charges while receiving the amount under the government scheme," Venkatachalam said.