[Resolved]  HDFC Bank — Fuel Surcharge levied on fuel purchased for Rs. 500= paid thru Debit Crad

Address:	New Delhi, Delhi, 110052
Website:	HDFC Bank Ltd.

Dec 9, 2016
The Manager
HDFC Bank Ltd.
New Delhi
Thru RBI Consumer Grievance portal
Dear Sir,
Sub. SF Account No. [protected] fvg. Navneet & Neena Bhatnagar
I am holding the above account with your K G Marg branch in New Delhi.
I am lodging this complaint to point out a severe dichotomy with what the Government of India is wishing to propagate and what your bank is actually doing.
The government is making concerted efforts to promote cash less transactions in the country. One of the basic objectives of the Demonetization exercise is said to be that only . However I find that HDFC Bank has been charging extraneous amounts on usage of Debit Card for electronic payments made. I reproduce below copy of relevant transaction from my Bank Account, where it is apparent that on a purchase of diesel for Rs. 500=, the bank is charging a sum of Rs. 14.38 on the transaction as fuel surcharge.
Date Narration Cheque/Ref. No. Value Date Withdrawal
08 Dec 2016 FUEL SURCHG 436303******2498 DT 06-12-16 [protected] 08 Dec 2016 14.38

This is simply preposterous, working out to almost 35% of the actual amount of fuel purchased. Not to mention to be very much against the cashless drive undertaken by the government on such a huge scale, where it has even allowed giving discounts on fuel purchase since yesterday, including waiving off Service Tax on such transactions. However, if one were to pay 35% of the cost as surcharge to the banks, it would be better to deal in cash only and negate the good work that the government intends to do.
This is to request you and to urge the RBI and the MoF to look into such manipulative and coercive practices being adopted by the banks on electronic payment modes, which should rather be free to the consumers.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Navneet Bhatnagar
A 38, Ashok Vihar,
Phase I
Delhi 110 052
Phone [protected], [protected]