Canara Bank vs Catholic Syrian Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

Canara Bank vs Catholic Syrian Bank: Children’s Savings Accounts

Canara Bank has a Canara Junior Saving Account for children and the Canara NSIGSE Savings Bank Deposit Account for the girl child. The bank also has a children’s deposit scheme called the Canara Champ Deposit Scheme. Catholic Syrian Bank allows parents and guardians to open its various savings accounts – Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum -on behalf of minors.

Children’s Savings Accounts from Canara Bank

Canara Junior Saving Account

The account is targeted at children above 10 years of age who can operate the account under their own name. Details are not available on the account’s page in the Canara Bank site whether children below 10 years can open the account or not as of September 2019.

Features

  • Kids above 10 years can open the account under their own name and operate the account independently
  • They get a debit card in their name with a monthly withdrawal limit of Rs. 5,000
  • The bank mandates a monthly withdrawal limit of Rs. 10,000. Read with the debit card limit, this means that the child can withdraw another Rs. 5,000 by online transfer or cheques (not clear if bank provides these two facilities for this account) or by visiting the branch and putting in a withdrawal slip
  • The account has two other restrictions. The first being that the balance at any point of time cannot be more than Rs. 50,000 and the second being the total credit cannot exceed Rs. 1,00,000 (1 lakh) in a year
  • A declaration is required from the parent or guardian at the time of opening the Canara Junior Saving Account and for SMS alert facility

Canara NSIGSE Savings Bank Deposit Account

The account has been designed under the directives of the Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India, to reduce school dropout rates among girl children.

Features

  • The account is available for the girl child who has passed class 8 and (a) belongs to an SC/ST group, or (b) has passed from a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya and has enrolled herself for class 9 in state government, government-aided or local body school. Girls studying in private or Central Government schools are not eligible for the account
  • The parent or guardian has to provide a declaration that the child has sufficient knowledge to operate the account
  • No chequebooks are issued with the account until the kid reaches the age of 18 years. Until then, withdrawals are mainly through withdrawal slips
  • There is no minimum balance requirement in the Canara NSIGSE Savings Bank Deposit Account, which can even have zero balance

Savings Bank Account

The generic savings bank account that can be opened for minors jointly with the parent or under their guardianship.

Features

  • The accounts need an average monthly balance of Rs. 500 for rural areas and Rs. 1,000 for urban and metro areas
  • The savings account pays interest in quarterly instalments in a year February, May, August and November

Canara Champ Deposit Scheme

A deposit scheme that is especially targeted at children up to the age of 12 years.

Features

  • The deposit scheme will be opened in the child’s name. There is no facility for opening the account jointly with the parent or guardian
  • The deposit can be opened for kids below the age of 12 years. After they attain maturity, it is converted into the standard savings account
  • The bank offers an eye-catching savings box to help the child inculcate saving habits
  • The kid also receives a personal photo folder with 16 pouches to record her life stages through photographs
  • In case there is no withdrawal from the account, the account holder is eligible to receive a Loan Eligibility Card for an educational loan from the bank
  • The interest rate in the Canara Champ Deposit Scheme is same as applicable for savings bank accounts. As of July 2018, this is 4% per annum
  • The minimum deposit amounts are same as that for savings bank accounts, i.e. Rs. 500 for rural and Rs. 1,000 for urban and metros
  • The bank offers the option to convert balances over Rs. 15,000 into the fixed deposits under its Kamadhenu Deposit Scheme (Re-Investment Plan)

Children’s Savings Accounts from Catholic Syrian Bank Limited

Catholic Syrian Bank is one of the oldest banks in the country having been established in 1920. The bank does not offer a dedicated children’s savings bank account but its Blue, Silver, Gold and Platinum savings accounts can be opened on behalf of minors by their parents or guardian.

Blue Savings Account

This savings account comes one step up the InstaDigital Savings Account but offers lesser number of features than the Gold and Platinum accounts.

Features

  • Offers up to 5 free use of other bank ATMs
  • Allows up to Rs. 40,000 in withdrawals from ATMs per day
  • The Blue Savings Account comes with the RuPay Platinum Debit Card
  • Minimum quarterly balance needed is Rs. 1,000 for urban areas and Rs. 500 for rural regions

Silver Savings Account

The Silver Savings Account is one step up the Blue Savings Account and comes with the following features.

Features

  • Unlimited free access to any ATMs in India
  • Allows up to Rs. 75,000 in withdrawals from ATMs every day
  • Users get 20% discount on locker rentals
  • The Silver Savings Account comes with the VISA Platinum Debit Card and offers all its benefits
  • Minimum quarterly balance needed is Rs. 5,000 for urban and rural areas

Gold Savings Account

The Gold savings account from Catholic Syrian falls between the Silver and Platinum accounts. Most of its benefits are similar to the Silver account.

Features

  • Unlimited free access to any bank ATM in the country
  • Allows customers to withdraw up to Rs. 75,000 from ATMs every day
  • Users get 30% discount on locker rentals
  • The Gold Savings Account comes with the VISA Platinum Debit Card
  • Minimum quarterly balance requirement is Rs. 25,000 for urban and rural areas

Platinum Savings Account

The top savings account from Catholic Syrian Bank portfolio.

Features

  • Users have unlimited free access to any ATMs in India
  • Customers can take out up to Rs. 75,000 from any ATM every 24 hours
  • The customers also get 50% discount on locker rentals
  • Platinum Savings Account comes with the VISA Platinum Debit Card like the Silver and Gold accounts
  • Minimum quarterly balance requirement is Rs. 1 lakh for both urban and rural branches

Reference Facts

  • Canara Bank Websites: www.canarabank.com/english/ and www.canarabank.in/ (net banking)
  • Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka
  • Call Centre Toll-Free Number: 1800 425 0018
  • Catholic Syrian Bank Website: www.csb.co.in
  • Headquarters: Thrissur, Kerala
  • Call Centre Number: 1800 266 9090