Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/364 · issued 07 Jan 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has rationalized priority sector lending reports, discontinuing four legacy statements from April 1, 2013, and introducing revised monthly, quarterly, and yearly formats. Banks must submit data starting December 2012 (monthly/quarterly) and March 2013 (yearly) to the Rural Planning and Credit Department, Central Office, Mumbai.
The rule, in the simplest words
Old reports are replaced by new ones; four old reports stop from April 1, 2013.
New reports must be sent on time: monthly in 5 days, quarterly in 15 days, yearly in 30 days.
First new monthly and quarterly reports are for December 2012; first yearly report is for March 2013.
Send reports to the RBI office in Mumbai, not to any other place.
These rules apply to all scheduled commercial banks except Regional Rural Banks.
How it plays out — a real example
Priya, the compliance officer at a mid-sized private bank, updates her reporting calendar: she notes that the old Special Return I is no longer needed after April 2013, and she schedules the new monthly priority sector report to be filed within 5 days of each month-end, starting with December 2012 data, to the Mumbai office.
What changed
RBI superseded earlier priority sector reporting circulars (dated September 3, 2007 and July 13, 2011) and introduced revised reporting formats. Four existing statements—Special Return I, Special Return III, Outstanding Credit to Medium Enterprises, and Education & Housing Loan—are discontinued effective April 1, 2013. New monthly, quarterly, and yearly statements must be submitted within 5, 15, and 30 days respectively from the reference date.
What it means for you
Banks must align their internal data systems to capture priority sector advances in the new formats, ensuring timely submission to avoid compliance gaps. The discontinuation of legacy returns reduces reporting burden, but the revised formats may require additional data granularity. Lenders should update their reporting calendars and coordinate with the Rural Planning and Credit Department to ensure smooth transition.
What you must do
Replace old priority sector reporting formats with the revised ones issued in this circular.
Discontinue the four specified statements from April 1, 2013, and stop submitting them.
Submit monthly and quarterly statements within 5 and 15 days from reference date starting December 2012.
Submit yearly statement within one month from reference date starting March 2013.
Ensure data is sent to Rural Planning and Credit Department, Central Office, Statistics Division, Mumbai.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Priority sector lending reporting teams, Compliance and regulatory reporting departments
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Which statements are being discontinued?
Special Return I (disbursal and outstanding of direct agricultural advances), Special Return III (disbursal of priority sector advances), Outstanding Credit to Medium Enterprises, and Education & Housing Loan statements are discontinued from April 1, 2013.
When do the new reporting timelines start?
Monthly and quarterly statements start from December 2012, and the yearly statement starts from March 2013. Monthly reports are due within 5 days, quarterly within 15 days, and yearly within one month from the reference date.
Where should the revised statements be submitted?
To the Rural Planning and Credit Department, Central Office, Statistics Division, 10th Floor, New Central Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Mumbai 400 001.
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/364 · issued 07 Jan 2013. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Priority sector lending reporting teams, Compliance and regulatory reporting departments), your first concrete step on “Priority Sector Lending: Revised Reporting System” is: “Replace old priority sector reporting formats with the revised ones issued in this circular.” (RBI issued this 07 Jan 2013).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/364 -- Priority Sector Lending: Revised Reporting System
Issued: 07 Jan 2013
Action required: Replace old priority sector reporting formats with the revised ones issued in this circular.
Action required: Discontinue the four specified statements from April 1, 2013, and stop submitting them.
Action required: Submit monthly and quarterly statements within 5 and 15 days from reference date starting December 2012.
Action required: Submit yearly statement within one month from reference date starting March 2013.
Action required: Ensure data is sent to Rural Planning and Credit Department, Central Office, Statistics Division, Mumbai.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=7791&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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