Bank Accounts with Zero Balance

With a view to achieve the objective of greater financial inclusion, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued instructions to all Scheduled Commercial Banks in November 2005, to make available a basic banking ‘no-frills’ account either with ‘nil’ or very low minimum balances as well as charges that would make such accounts accessible to vast sections of population. As per RBI, the number of no-frills accounts outstanding with Public Sector Banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks) and Private Sector Banks at end of March 2012, is 1032.06 lakhs.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Namo Narain Meena in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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DSM/SS/Hb