Sukanya Samriddhi Account Deposit Scheme is one of the most popular small saving schemes in India. This scheme was launched in January, 2015. Since then, it has been estimated that around 76 Lakhs Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana Accounts have been opened across the country. The amount collected under these accounts is around Rs. 2, 838 crore (up to October, 2015).
Sukanya Samriddhi Account (SSA) can be opened in the name of girl child only. Post offices and Commercial banks (Public / Private Sector) have been authorized by the Govt to open SSAs.
Though Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme is a simple financial product, there has been some confusion with respect to some of its features, operation of account, premature withdrawal, account transfer, NRI & SSA, closure of account etc.,
To clear this confusion, the govt has recently issued a notification highlighting some new changes / amendments to ‘Sukanya Samriddhi Account Deposit Scheme’.
15 New Amendments to Sukanya Samriddhi Account Deposit Scheme Rules
Below are some of the revised rules of Sukanya Samriddhi Account;
- Definition of Account Holder & Beneficiary : Account holder means a person in whose name the Account is held. Girl child is the beneficiary under SSA. The amount can be deposited by the account holder (girl child) or by her parent/guardian.
- SSA & Adopted Daughter : The new rules have made it clear that Sukanya Account can be opened even in the name of an adopted Daughter.
- Resident Indian Girl Child : Only an Indian Resident Girl Child can be the Beneficiary under the SSA Rules.
- Rate of Interest : As per the old rules, the rate of interest will be declared on an yearly basis. Now, the Government can amend the Interest Rate from time to time. (Read : Latest Small Saving Schemes & Rate of Interest – New guidelines)
- Minimum Amount & Account Default Rules :
- The minimum amount that has to be deposited in SSA is Rs 1,000 p.a.
- If the min amount is not deposited, account will be treated as ‘Account in Default‘ and such accounts can be regularized on payment of a penalty of fifty rupees per year.
- The new rules also specify that if the defaulted account is not regularized within fifteen years of opening the account, then the whole deposit amount (including the deposits made prior to the date of default) shall be eligible to get Post Office Savings Bank interest rate at the time of its maturity.
- In case if the reason for default is due to the death of the ‘Guardian’ of the child, the above rules won’t be applicable. The account holder will get normal SSA interest rate.
- Maximum Deposit : The maximum amount that can be deposited in SSA is Rs 1.5 Lakh per fiscal year. In case deposit in excess of one lakh fifty thousand rupees in any financial year is accepted due to any accounting error, such excess amount will not be eligible for any interest. The depositor can withdraw such excess amount anytime.
- Online Payment Mode : As of now, deposits can be made in the form of cash/by cheque/by DD only. The new rules have clarified that ‘online payment mode’ (electronic transfer) is also acceptable provided that the post office or bank has access to CBS facility (Core Banking Solution).
- Interest Calculation Procedure : Under SSA, the interest is compounded on yearly basis. The interest amount is calculated for the calendar month on the lowest balance in an Account on the deposits made between the close of the tenth day and the end of the month. So, it is now clear that no interest is paid on deposits made after 10th of the month for that specific month.
- Duplicate Passbook : In the event of loss of passbook, a duplicate passbook can be issued on payment of Rs 50. The guardian or the account holder has to submit a written request to get a duplicate SSA passbook.
- Transfer of Account : SSA can be transferred from a bank to a post office branch (vice versa) at free of cost. The guardian or the account holder has to furnish proof of shifting of residence. Even if you are not relocating, you can transfer the account by paying a fee of Rs 100 to the post or to the bank to which the transfer is being made.
- Withdrawal for Education Purposes :
- Withdrawal of upto a maximum of fifty per cent of the balance in the Account at the end of the financial year preceding the year of application for withdrawal, shall be allowed for the purpose of higher education of the Account holder.
- Provided that such withdrawal shall not be allowed unless the Account holder attains the age of eighteen years or has passed tenth standard, whichever is earlier.
- The withdrawal can be made in lump sum or in installments not exceeding one per year, for a maximum period of five years.
- The guardian or the account holder has to submit a documentary proof of confirmed admission in an Educational institution (or) a Fee-slip from such institution.
- Account Closure & Age Proof : To close a SSA account, age proof has to be submitted to prove that the girl child is not less than 18 years of age.
- Account Closure & Marriage : Earlier premature withdrawal is allowed after the girl child’s marriage takes place but now withdrawal is possible even if Depositor is intending to get married.
- Change of Citizenship :
- If after opening of account, Account holder becomes a non-citizen or non-resident of India (NRI), he/she (guardian/parent/girl child) has to intimate the same within a period of one Month and her account will be deemed as closed.
- Interest is not be paid on such Accounts.
- Post Account Closure & Interest Payment : As per the old rules, post maturity (after 21 years from the date of account opening) even if account holder does not close the account he/she was eligible for interest till the final closure of the account. But as per the new amendments, if an account completes twenty-one years, no interest amount is payable.
I hope you find this post useful and informative. Are you contributing to Sukanya Samriddhi Account Deposit Scheme? Kindly share your experience and views on SSA.
(Image courtesy of chubphong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net) (Post published Date : 05-April-2016)
This post was last modified on July 11, 2023 11:12 am
Sreekanth ReddySreekanth is the Man behind ReLakhs.com. He is an Independent Certified Financial Planner (CFP), engaged in blogging & property consultancy for the last 14 years through his firm ReLakhs Financial Services . He is not associated with any Financial product / service provider. The main aim of his blog is to "help investors take informed financial decisions." "Please note that the views given in this Blog/Comments Section/Forum are clarifications meant for reference and guidance of the readers to explore further on the topics/queries raised and take informed decisions. The information provided, therefore, should not be viewed as financial, legal, accounting, tax or investment advice."
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Hii
I want to transfer my daughter's ssy account from post office to Icici bank. We have raised this raised this request in July 2019 in post office. So post office gave us the passbook which calculated interest till June 2019.
But icici bank is telling that they will not consider the interest amount for April may June.
So what to do now as both parties are not ready to agree.
Dear Monika,
I think once the transfer gets completed, the interest amount will be payable on the accumulated balance. You may reconfirm this with ICICI (preferably through email communication).
Can I submit a variable amount deposit from 1000 to 5000 ?
Can I transfer a payment online ?
Dear Shalender,
Yes, you can deposit variable amounts.
For online provision, kindly check with your bank/service provider..
Hi,
Does the scheme allows to deposit after 14 years also or after 14th year we cannot deposit?we need to wait till 18 years completion or 21 year completion.what is the math behind 14 years if we contribute another 4 years there will be a very good compounding happening.
Dear Rajan,
Kindly note that deposits can be made for 14 years from ac opening date.
The scheme would mature on completion of 21 years from the date of opening of the account, with an option of keeping the account till marriage. So, the maturity of the account is 21 years from the date of opening of account or if the girl gets married before completion of such 21 years (whichever is earlier).
Hi
I opened an account for my daughter whose an nri by birth n so far deposited upto 3 lakhs in post office .. the proof given was my daughters birth certificate ( USA ) .
Last year was the time I came to know nri s are not allowed .. the post office people are still asking me to pay the amount and they are telling that the interest is been credited and they are not giving proper response n asking to pay the money still
Dear Vineetha,
Suggest you to let them know about the NRI status of your child and close the account at the earliest..
Hi. We have been depositing in ssy for 3 years and seems like we might be moving abroad for few years. As per the updated rule, if we are closing the account, when will we be able to withdraw the amount deposited till date?
Dear Shruthi,
Sukanya Samridhi Account (SSY account) is NOT allowed for NRI girls – A girl child would be eligible for an SSY account if she is a Resident Indian Citizen at the time of account opening and remains so until maturity or closure of account. Therefore, non-resident Indian (NRI) girl child cannot benefit from sukanya samridhi account scheme.
Girl child has to be both a citizen of India as well as resident in India, in order to be eligible. NRI girl child cannot benefit from this scheme.
Change in Residential status after opening the account – At any time after opening SSY account, if the girl child becomes non-resident or non-citizen of India, guardian shall intimate the bank within one month from such change. No interest shall be paid from the date citizenship or residential status changes and account shall be considered as closed.
You may have to wait till your Girl child's Residential status changes to NRI and they you would be able to withdraw the funds immediately.
Kindly check on this with your banker as well.
Dear Yakub,
If minimum amount is not deposited, the account will be treated as an irregular account. This can be regularized/renewed on payment nominal fee (Rs 50 per year) as penalty. Along with this, the minimum specified subscription for the year (s) of default should be paid.
Kindly visit the concerned bank/post office and renew your SSA.
If account holder is husband,can wife take the income tax exemption for the amount deposited in SSY if husband is not declaring the same to his employer?
Dear Shreya,
If he is the depositor then only he can claim the tax exemption u/s 80C.
Hi Sir, i wanted to know how bank calculate the maturity, i heard we can deposit only 14 year from opening Sukanya acct, and maturity will be on 21 year.
Question - 14 year from acct opening or until girls age of 14 year, for ex. we open acct when child age is 8 year old that will continue until 14 year in that case girls reach 22 year old and until maturity 29 year old, Please clarify
Dear Raj,
Depositing can be done for max 14 years from account opening date..
The scheme would mature on completion of 21 years from the date of opening of the account, with an option of keeping the account till marriage. So, the maturity of the account is 21 years from the date of opening of account or if the girl gets married before completion of such 21 years (whichever is earlier).
Related article:
* Sukanya Samriddhi Account – Govt’s Special Scheme for Girl child – Features, Review & Benefits
* Calculate how much you need to invest for your Kid’s Education
* List of Best Investment Options in India
Hi sir ,I'm depositing monthly rs.5000 for my daughter in post office ,almost 8 months paid.can I change this amount in this same account ? I wish increase the monthly amount RS.5000 to Rs.12500 is this possible? What is the process sir.
Dear Viveo,
There is no specific process, you can just deposit higher amount in the account..
Hi !
Sreekanth, Hope you are doing well
In a financial year Can I deposit by cheque full money (1.5L) one time ???
Deposit money one time get more interest ??
Today I went to post office to deposit 132000 as 18 k I have already submitted on April 2018 , but due to some work at abroad we could not deposit the money
Now iam in India and toady I went to post office , Pat master shaab told that you have deposit money only 25 k by cheque .... reaming you have to pay by cash ....
Pl help me to clear the issue
Dear Sachin,
Yes, you can deposit in one go as lump sum amount.
You can get slightly higher interest amount on the accumulation balance.
I am not sure as to why they are insisting on Cash payment. Suggest you to invest via non-cash mode..
Related articles :
* Calculate how much you need to invest for your Kid’s Education
* Money management lessons for kids that go a long way!