Later on Damodaran Committee on customer service in banks recommended that penal charges may be applied by bank on minimum balance but banks should inform the customer immediately on the balance in the account breaching minimum balance and the applicable penal charges for not maintaining the balance by SMS/Email/letter. Further, the penal charges levied should be in proportion to the shortfall observed’.
Now RBI has accepted the Damodaran committee report and has allowed banks to levy penalty charges on-maintenance of minimum balance in Savings Bank Account wef 01.04.2015 subject to conditions given below.
Levy of penal charges on non-maintenance of minimum balances in savings bank accounts
1. Please refer to our circular DBOD.Dir.BC.53/13.10.00/2002-03 dated December 26, 2002 on ‘Minimum Balance in Savings Bank Accounts’ advising banks to inform customers, in a transparent manner, regarding the requirement of minimum balance in savings bank account and levy of penal charges for non-maintenance of the same at the time of opening the account.
2. In this connection, a reference is invited to paragraph 30 of Part B of First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2014-15 announced on April 1, 2014, regarding ‘Developmental and Regulatory Policies’ proposing certain measures towards consumer protection. One of the proposals contained therein was that banks should not take undue advantage of customer difficulty or inattention. Instead of levying penal charges for non-maintenance of minimum balance in ordinary savings bank accounts, banks should limit services available on such accounts to those available to Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts and restore the services when the balances improve to the minimum required level. A reference is also invited to the recommendations of Damodaran Committee on customer service in banks which, inter-alia, recommended that ‘banks should inform the customer immediately on the balance in the account breaching minimum balance and the applicable penal charges for not maintaining the balance by SMS/Email/letter. Further, the penal charges levied should be in proportion to the shortfall observed’.
3. The policy announcement has been reviewed after extensive consultation with banks. Consequent to these deliberations and after taking into consideration the recommendation of Damodaran Committee, it has been decided that while levying charges for non-maintenance of minimum balance in savings bank account, banks shall adhere to the additional guidelines given in Annex. The guidelines come into effect from April 1, 2015.
4. These guidelines should be brought to the notice of all customers apart from being disclosed on the bank’s website.
5. In the meantime, all banks are advised to take immediate steps to update customer information so as to facilitate sending alerts through electronic modes (SMSs/emails etc) for effective implementation of the guidelines.
Yours faithfully
(Lily Vadera)
Chief General Manager
RBI/2014-15/308
DBR.Dir.BC.No.47/13.03.00/2014-15
November 20, 2014
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir/Madam
Levy of penal charges on non-maintenance of minimum balances in savings bank accounts
Please refer to our circular DBOD.Dir.BC.53/13.10.00/2002-03 dated December 26, 2002 on ‘Minimum Balance in Savings Bank Accounts’ advising banks to inform customers, in a transparent manner, regarding the requirement of minimum balance in savings bank account and levy of penal charges for non-maintenance of the same at the time of opening the account.
2. In this connection, a reference is invited to paragraph 30 of Part B of First Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2014-15 announced on April 1, 2014, regarding ‘Developmental and Regulatory Policies’ proposing certain measures towards consumer protection. One of the proposals contained therein was that banks should not take undue advantage of customer difficulty or inattention. Instead of levying penal charges for non-maintenance of minimum balance in ordinary savings bank accounts, banks should limit services available on such accounts to those available to Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts and restore the services when the balances improve to the minimum required level. A reference is also invited to the recommendations of Damodaran Committee on customer service in banks which, inter-alia, recommended that ‘banks should inform the customer immediately on the balance in the account breaching minimum balance and the applicable penal charges for not maintaining the balance by SMS/Email/letter. Further, the penal charges levied should be in proportion to the shortfall observed’.
3. The policy announcement has been reviewed after extensive consultation with banks. Consequent to these deliberations and after taking into consideration the recommendation of Damodaran Committee, it has been decided that while levying charges for non-maintenance of minimum balance in savings bank account, banks shall adhere to the additional guidelines given in Annex.(given above) The guidelines come into effect from April 1, 2015.
4. These guidelines should be brought to the notice of all customers apart from being disclosed on the bank’s website.
5. In the meantime, all banks are advised to take immediate steps to update customer information so as to facilitate sending alerts through electronic modes (SMSs/emails etc) for effective implementation of the guidelines.
Yours faithfully
(Lily Vadera)
Chief General ManagerRBI/2014-15/308
DBR.Dir.BC.No.47/13.03.00/2014-15
November 20, 2014
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding RRBs)
Dear Sir/Madam
My savings account is showing negative balance, but as per RBI/2014-15/308, annexure vi, the available balance in savings account should not be negative. Any help regarding this. I need to have this resolved, as the balance should not be negative. I have already talked with the Branch Manager, and he said that the Savings account can have negative balance. What should I do??