(a) whether instances of banks sealing the accounts of holders without
information come to the notice of the Government;
(b) if so, the details thereof and reaction of the Government thereto;
(c) the number of such bank accounts in the banks, the account holders
of which are either non-operative or have died and said accounts have been
seized for a long time; and
(d) the action being taken by the Government to check such inhuman
approach of the banks?
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance (Shri Namo Narain Meena)
(a)to (d): Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that as on 31.12.2011,
the number of accounts of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) which have not been
operated upon for more than 10 years is 1,12,49,844. The data received from all
commercial banks is compiled by Returns Division, DBOD, RBI and forwarded to
Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Keeping in view public interest,
RBI has advised all SCBs to play a more pro-active role in finding the
whereabouts of the account holders whose accounts have remained inoperative.
Further, banks have also been advised to display the list of inoperative
accounts which are inactive / inoperative for 10 years or more, on their
respective website by 30.06.2012 and keep their websites updated at
regular intervals.