Suggestions/ comments from one of our Postal staff
Subject: Promotion of Aadhaar-based eKYC and Paperless POSB Transactions – Uniform Implementation, Role Clarity and Avoidance of Unnecessary Repetitive Paperwork – reg.
With a view to providing faster, transparent and technology-enabled POSB services to customers, reducing avoidable paperwork and ensuring uniformity in the implementation of Aadhaar-based eKYC, the following guidelines may be followed by all concerned officials, subject to the applicable SOPs, system permissions and regulatory requirements.
1. Promotion of Aadhaar-based eKYC
Aadhaar-based authentication/eKYC has been introduced as part of the Department's move towards paperless and technology-enabled POSB services. Wherever the facility is available and the customer is eligible, the prescribed eKYC process may be utilised in accordance with the applicable KYC, AML, security and authentication requirements.
2. Role-based implementation
The applicability of an eKYC operation shall be determined by the approved SOP, system functionality and authorised role of the official, and not merely by assumptions based on the category of the Post Office.
Officials should therefore avoid declining or discouraging a permissible eKYC transaction merely on the basis of an unverified interpretation regarding the role of a PA, Supervisor or SPM.
3. Customer-facing digital service
Where an eligible customer is physically present at the counter and the prescribed eKYC facility is available, the customer may be guided through the authorised digital process.
The guiding principle should be:
“Authenticate the customer digitally, capture the required information once, and process it through the prescribed system workflow.”
4. Role of PA/Counter Official and Supervisor/SPM
The PA/Counter Official shall perform the activities authorised under the applicable eKYC SOP.
The Supervisor/SPM shall perform the prescribed verification, supervisory and control functions.
Supervisory checks are essential for ensuring correctness and compliance. However, where the system has already captured and authenticated the required information, the same information should not ordinarily be re-entered or reproduced manually unless specifically required under the applicable SOP.
5. Avoidance of unnecessary delay
Where the customer, documents and system requirements are complete and the transaction is permissible through eKYC, the transaction should be processed through the prescribed digital workflow without avoidable delay.
If eKYC cannot be completed due to a genuine technical, KYC/AML, authentication, regulatory or system-related reason, the prescribed alternate procedure may be followed and the reason recorded wherever required.
6. Uniformity of practice
All Post Offices should follow the prescribed eKYC procedure uniformly.
Where an official has any doubt regarding the applicability of a particular eKYC operation, clarification should be obtained through the prescribed administrative/technical channel rather than relying on individual assumptions.
7. Reduction of repetitive data entry
The Department may further enhance DARPAN/Dak Saathi/POSB-CBS integration so that customer information captured and authenticated at the point of service can securely flow through the subsequent workflow.
This would help minimise:
repeated data entry;
generation and re-entry of the same information;
avoidable paperwork;
processing time;
data-entry errors; and
repetitive supervisory workload.
8. Responsibility of Supervisory Officers
Supervisory officers shall ensure that available technology-enabled facilities are properly utilised while maintaining all prescribed financial, KYC, AML, audit and security controls.
The purpose of supervision is to ensure correctness, compliance and accountability, while simultaneously facilitating legitimate technology-enabled customer service.
9. Training and awareness
Circles/Divisions should ensure that officials are adequately informed about:
scope of eKYC;
authorised roles of PA/Counter Official and Supervisor/SPM;
eligible transactions;
authentication requirements;
exception handling; and
KYC/AML safeguards.
Periodic awareness/training may be provided whenever new eKYC features or system workflows are introduced.
10. Digital First – Paperless Wherever Permitted
All concerned officials shall make sincere efforts to achieve the objective of:
“Digital First – Paperless Wherever Permitted.”
This shall be implemented without compromising statutory requirements, customer protection, KYC/AML compliance, financial controls or audit requirements.
Technology should be used as an enabling tool to simplify legitimate work, improve customer service, reduce repetitive processes and strengthen transparency and auditability.
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