As you are aware, a Committee was constituted under the chairmanship
of Mr. Javed Ahmad Noel, Honorary Adviser, Ministry of Finance
to look into the issue of streamlining and simplifying the procedure
for collection of utility bills. The Committee after extensive
and prolonged deliberations on various issues involved, has
since submitted its report to the State Bank of Pakistan. The
following recommendations requiring actions by the banks collecting
utility bills have been made in the said report:-
i)
All branches should accept payment of bills of Rs.1000/- and
above by cheque from their account holders. These cheques
should be accepted at normal banking counters instead of windows
designated for cash bill collection.
ii) Bill collection timing of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. should
be prominently displayed at all the bank branches. Particulars
of the nearest branch accepting bills upto 8:00 p.m. should
also be displayed at every branch.
iii) Banks should publicize the fact that a bill can be paid
at any branch of any bank collecting utility bills or the
post office within a city/town. It does not have necessarily
to be paid in a branch located closer to the billed premises.
Moreover, public be advised to tender exact cash at the time
of payment of bills to save their own and others’ time.
iv) Banks and the post office department should work with
large companies, corporations and government departments to
evolve a system whereby the corporation/department can make
arrangement for collection of bills through their own staff
assisted by bank staff, prepare scrolls and deposit the same
in lump sum with the bank branch or the post office.
v) The banks having ATM facility are allowed to enter into
agreements with the utility companies for collection through
ATM.
vi) Banks should finalize arrangements with the utility companies
and the service providers for payment of bills through Internet.
Particulars of bank branches having Internet connections should
be advertised in the media and on the websites of banks and
the utility companies. Moreover, the collection of bills through
Internet should be publicized and the public should be educated
about the option of paying bills through Internet.
vii) The banks should adopt a system of internal monitoring
on the following lines:
a) Every branch/unit collecting utility bills should send
a monthly report by 10th of every month to the Zonal/Regional
Office for onward submission to a focal point at Head Office
of the bank giving details of number of bills collected during
the month and the progress made towards time saving, queue
reduction etc.
b)
As part of the monthly feed back process, a committee will
be formed in each branch/unit which will be made directly
responsible for ensuring compliance to the laid down instructions,
submission of the monthly reports and incorporating customer
feed back therein.
c) A Comment Card in every branch/unit will be introduced
whereby suggestions will be solicited from customers for further
improving the service. The card will have a pre-paid stamp
and will be addressed directly to the concerned senior executive/focal
point responsible in Head Office.
d) Surprise checks by senior staff monitoring the work of
utility bills collection shall be conducted.
2)
In exercise of the powers vested in the State Bank of Pakistan
under the Banking Companies ordinance, 1962, you are hereby
directed to implement the above recommendations in letter
and spirit. Moreover, the compliance of instructions earlier
issued on the subject from time to time should also be ensured.
It may kindly be clearly noted that the State Bank will intensify
surprise checks by its inspection teams to ensure meticulous
compliance of this directive. Banks found violating the laid
down instructions will be subjected to levy of penalty under
the relevant provisions of BCO, 1962.
Please acknowledge receipt.
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