'Banks should apologise if they hurt customers'

Deepali Pant Joshi, banking ombudsman of Andhra Pradesh, is eager to reach out to people who have a grievance against banks in the state. She, however, is not interested in meeting lawyers, large traders or bluechip company representatives. She wants to help ordinary customers of banks.

"I don't want the banks to take people for a ride," she says, adding that she is interested in ensuring that the banking system penetrated to all sections of the society.

Joshi, who had been with the Reserve Bank of India for the past 25 years, says that banks have to apologise if they hurt their customers or injured their self-respect by their rude behaviour.

An author of two books on social banking and sustainable development, Joshi says that she finds the ombudsman job "very challenging". This is because as an ombudsman she not only can help people but also work in tune with the apex bank's mission of raising the bar of banking services in the country.

The Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, enables resolution of complaints of customers relating to certain services rendered by banks. The extent and scope of the new scheme is wider than the earlier scheme of 2002. The new scheme also provides for online submission of complaints.

Ever since Joshi took over as the ombudsman in January this year, she received 1,112 complaints. Of these, she had settled 826 complaints amicably while 248 are pending. Of the 248 pending, 157 complaints are pending for less than one month while 38 complaints have been found to be not maintainable.

"As soon as I receive a complaint, I will ask the bank concerned to give its version within 10 days. I will initially try to conciliate. If this is not possible, then I will adjudicate and pass an award," she says pointing out that she has judicial powers to deal with cases involving an amount up to Rs 10 lakh.

According to Joshi, problems are cropping up because banks, particularly the new ones, are outsourcing their working to some direct selling agents who are not aware of the banking standards.