ant to open a Public Provident Fund account? Good idea.

Here's how you can get started.

1. Make a trip to your local post office. You can open it at any head post office or selection grade sub post offices.

2. Visit the nationalised bank in your neighbourhood. Selected branches of nationalised banks can also open accounts.

3. Drop by a State Bank of India [Get Quote] branch. SBI and its subsidiary banks also open accounts. The web site will have the names of the banking subsidiaries. 

4. You will have to fill up a form and attach a photograph. If you want to download the form or take a look at it, you can do so on the SBI web site.

5. If you do not have a Permanent Account Number, you will have to furnish an attested copy of either your ration card, voter's identity card or passport.

6. You can have only one PPF account in your name. If at any point it is detected that you have two accounts, the second account you have opened will be closed, and you will be refunded only the principal amount, not the interest.

7. You cannot open a joint account with another individual. The account can only be opened in one person's name.

8. You are free to nominate one or more individuals. On the death of the account holder, nominees cannot keep the account going by making contributions. If there are no nominees, the legal heirs get the money.

9. An individual can open one account and others for his/her children or minor of whom s/he is the guardian. But, on his/her death, the minors or children cannot make any additional contributions.

10. Non-resident Indians earning an income in India and wanting to take advantage of the rebate can also open an account. Subscriptions, however, will have to made from their Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account on a non-repatriable basis.

11. When you open an account, you will be given a passbook in which all subscriptions, interest accrued, withdrawals and loans are recorded.

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