Team Herald
MARGAO: The Congress Cuncolim Block on Friday handed over a memorandum to the branch manager of Goa Urban Co-Operative Bank Ltd, Cuncolim branch, expressing reservations against the bank asking consumers to open an account in their branch to pay electricity bills.
The bank in a notice had mentioned that from October 1, 2020, the bank will not accept any electricity bills, until public/consumers open an account with the bank and pay the bills via Goa Urban Co-Operative Bank Ltd cheque.
“We at Cuncolim Block Congress Committee condemn this decision by the Goa Urban Co-Operative Bank Ltd and strongly urge to continue with the existing system of cash payments,” said Cuncolim Block Congress President Asisz Norohna.
“Also to state, that opening of a new account and maintaining minimum balance, pay annual/monthly/quarterly charges for bank charges/ATM card fees and cheque books and various other fees is an additional burden on the people of Cuncolim and Goa as well, and the Goa Urban CO-Operative Bank Ltd should not pressurise the general public at least in this pandemic times of COVID-19,” Norohna requested the bank.
“Since the Goa Urban Co-Operative Bank Ltd and Quepem Urban Bank are the only banks in Cuncolim accepting the payments for electricity bills, through this letter we appeal to the Chief Minister and Minister for Power to kindly intervene and direct at least three other banks to accept payments for Electricity bills without opening an account with the bank’s branch,” Congress Cuncolim Block president stated.
The Congress said that despite various online modes of payment options available, there are certain people, particularly senior citizens etc who are not in a position to execute online payments, and these types of tricks by the banks asking people to open a bank account in their branch is a mere harassment for these people.
