Low income worries small saving agents

Amritsar, November 18

All India Mahila Pradhan Small Saving Agents’ Confederation, during a national-level meeting here on Sunday, demanded restoration of commission on all saving schemes. The confederation represents five lakh small saving (postal) agents across the country.

In order to smoothen the operation of national small savings and also to provide better services to crores of small investors, the confederation takes up the matter of small savings with the government. Confederation president Rajshree Bhagat said commission (incentive) on PPF scheme and senior citizen savings scheme  had been discontinued. The commission on all other schemes was reduced to 0.5 from one per cent. 

Most popular scheme Kisan Vikas Patra was also discontinued without any reason, they said. These decisions have been adversely resulting into substantial loss of earnings for agents, who are being driven to poverty. 

She demanded that keeping in view increasing inflation, the cost of running agency and other expenses involved, the government must restore the commission of PPF scheme and SCSS scheme and sought commission on all schemes to one per cent. “The desired target of generating funds through National Small Savings Collection may be easily achieved,” she stated.

District president of the confederation, Amritpal Sharma, suggested that the government must involve agents in all schemes as they take these to each home. “For example, Sukanya Smridhi Yojana did not elicit desired result after its successful maiden year only because the scheme was launched without involving small saving agents. Similarly, schemes like ‘Pradhan Mantri Jeeval Jyoti Bima Yojna’ and ‘Suraksha Bima Yojna’ were introduced without involving agents,” he said.—TNS