Sir,

Computerisation is a boon to the masses but a bane to lethargic. Our banks have computerised for the sake of computers and not for the users or the benefits of consumers. Moreover, mobile technology advancement has rendered human beings less meticulous.

Earlier in the age of paper and post, the communication on any government circulars were physical in nature and was generated manually and read manually with mandatory press releases. Now with SMS and WhatsApp, official involvement is negligible leaving communication wing to a programmed computer to do the work.

Recently my father received a communication from bank that excess pension has been credited to his account and he has to withdraw only the amount he used to withdraw earlier.

After complying for a couple of months, he found that the pension in his account kept coming in excess.

Next came another communication from the bank that the excess amount that has been withdrawn has to be paid back.

Fortunately, he received an SMS from pension office with a break up of pension disbursed in which there was a heading called ‘age-related pension’. This was the bone of contention with the bank.

Upon showing the SMS to the Manager and Senior Manager of the Bank, the Managers informed that they had no clue on such information from the Treasury and that the information will be with the particular executive. Since the executive is on long leave, confirming this directive can be done only if that particular person reports back to duty.

The circular is sent from computer to computer with no human being aware of it. This situation is appalling as neither the person managing a bank branch disbursing pensions is unaware of Treasury directives nor the person issuing the communiqué to pay back the amount . This ignorance is taxing the elderly to and fro the branch and pension office to clarify to the disbursing bank about the Treasuries circular.

I do not know how many elderly persons would have paid back such amounts legally due to them back to the bank.

My father’s situation is not one-off as there are hundreds of pensioners, 90 years of age who must have had the same predicament.

– Charles Davison, Mysuru, 13.3.2019

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