Introduction of new type of savings account ie Workers Wage Account under NREG Act
by amending Post Office Savings Account Rules 1981

Main features of this type of savings account are mentioned in the notification itself. The procedure to be followed for opening and operating this type of account(s) is given below :-

(i) No amount is required to be taken from depositor for opening of such accounts.

(ii) No minimum balance needs to be maintained in such accounts.

(iii) No deposit other than NREGA wage can be made in these accounts.

(iv) These accounts will be non-transferable and also cannot be converted into single or joint at a later stage.

(v) No cheque book will be issued to such account holders.

(vi) A separate block of account numbers will be allotted to this category of account.

(vii) A single account may be opened by any of the registered adult members of a household whose names are mentioned in the job card. For example, if in a job card, there are four adult registered members, all four can open individual single accounts by giving the same job card number.

(viii) A joint account can be opened in the name of husband and wife provided that names of both are registered in the job card. The joint account will be of Joint ‘A’ category only.

(ix) Registration of nomination if applied may be made as usual.

(x) The depositor who desired to open account under this category has to mention job card number, date of issue of job card and date of expiry of job card in the SB-3 in manuscript. No account will be opened without providing this information.

(xi) The Branch/Sub/Head Postmaster will verify particulars of job card mentioned in SB-3 from the job card shown at the time of opening of account and certify on SB-3 that job card particulars have been verified from original under his/her dated signatures.

(xii) All other formalities applicable to normal savings account ie Specimen Signatures, issue of PR in EDBO, issue of passbook etc will be followed.

(xiii) These accounts will not be treated as Silent and as and when an intimation with regard to deletion of name of depositor from job card is received, the depositor may be given option to close the account and if the account is not closed within 30 days of the receipt of intimation of deletion of name from job list/card, the account will be closed by the Postmaster himself by filing a withdrawal form of the amount available in the account alongwith interest if any and the amount will be remitted to the depositor by money order after deducting the usual MO commission. In case of death of the depositor, normal procedure for settlement of claim by the legal heirs will be followed.

(xiv) Interest will be credited in such accounts by following the normal procedure laid down for savings accounts.

(xv) Withdrawal from such accounts will be allowed only on production of withdrawal from (SB-7) and Wage Slip issued by the competent authority. Wage slip should be attached with SB-7 and treated as part of voucher.

(xvi) So far as possible, payment may be made to the depositor himself but in emergent cases, payment may be made to the representative of the depositor for which a written authority letter from the depositor in manuscript alongwith wage slip is required to be produced by the representative.

(xvii) Identification of the depositor may be taken from the Job Card as well as Wage Slip in case of illiterate depositor or in case of difference in signatures.