March 2013 Govt Dues: Special Reporting & Accounting Arrangements
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/440 · issued 14 Mar 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI sets April 15, 2013 as the residual transaction closure date for March 2013. Agency banks must use special messenger/courier from mid-March to ensure all government dues collected are accounted in FY 2012-13. Nodal branches must prepare separate scrolls for March residual and April transactions.
The rule, in the simplest words
April 15, 2013 is the last day to report leftover March 2013 government money collections.
From the second half of March 2013, bank branches must use special messenger or courier to send collection slips quickly so all March money is counted in the 2012-13 financial year.
Nodal (main) branches must make two separate piles of slips: one for leftover March transactions and another for April transactions, from April 1 to April 15, 2013.
Do not mix March 2013 money with April 2013 money in the accounts.
Branches handling money for Defence, Posts, Railways, and Telecom must follow the same rules.
How it plays out — a real example
An agency-banking (government business) officer in Indore, Priya, works at a bank that collects government taxes. In late March 2013, she uses a special courier to rush all March 31 challans to her nodal branch. On April 5, the nodal branch prepares a separate scroll for those March leftovers and another for fresh April collections, ensuring the government's books for 2012-13 are accurate.
What changed
The Government of India fixed April 15, 2013 as the closure date for residual March 2013 transactions, replacing the previous year's date. Banks are instructed to close books on that date and implement special arrangements from the second fortnight of March 2013 to expedite challan/scroll transmission. Nodal/Focal Point branches must now prepare separate scroll sets for March residual and April transactions during the first 15 days of April.
What it means for you
Agency banks must ensure all government dues collected by March 31, 2013 are accounted in FY 2012-13, not mixed with April 2013 transactions. This requires tight coordination between receiving and nodal branches, especially for non-civil ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecom). Failure to segregate could lead to misreporting and reconciliation issues with government accounts.
What you must do
Instruct all receiving branches to clear arrears before March 15, 2013 and use special messenger/courier from second fortnight of March 2013.
Direct Nodal/Focal Point branches to prepare separate scrolls for March residual transactions and April transactions daily from April 1-15, 2013.
Ensure all March 2013 transactions are accounted in FY 2012-13 books and not mixed with April 2013 entries.
Issue immediate circular to branches handling non-civil ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecom) to follow the same procedure.
Who it affects
All agency banks handling government tax collections (CBDT, CBEC), Branches dealing with Departmentalised Ministries accounts, Branches handling Non-Civil Ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecommunications), Nodal/Focal Point branches responsible for reporting
❓ Common questions
What is the deadline for closing residual March 2013 transactions?
April 15, 2013 is the closure date for residual March 2013 transactions. Banks must close their books on that date.
How should receiving branches handle challans in late March?
From the second fortnight of March 2013, receiving branches must use special messenger (if local) or courier (if non-local) to pass challans/scrolls to Nodal/Focal Point branches promptly.
Does this apply to non-civil ministries like Defence and Railways?
Yes, the same special arrangements and reporting procedure apply to transactions of Defence, Posts, Railways, and Telecommunications ministries.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/440
DGBA.GAD.No.H - 5353/42.01.029/2012-13 March 14, 2013
The Chairman & Managing Director /
The Chief Executive Officer
All Agency Banks Dear Sir / Madam,
Scheme for Collection of Dues of (i) Central Board of Direct Taxes (ii) Central Board of Excise and Customs (iii) Departmentalised Ministries Account - Reporting and Accounting of March Transactions - Special Arrangements - Financial Year 2012-13
Please refer to Circular DGBA.GAD.No.H.6160/42.01.029/2011-12 dated March 19, 2012 advising the procedure to be followed for reporting and accounting of collection of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Indirect Taxes (CBEC) and transactions of Departmentalized Ministries at the Receiving/Nodal/Focal Point branches of your bank for the Financial Year 2011-12.
2. The Government of India has decided that the date of closure of Residual Transactions for the month of March 2013 be fixed as April 15, 2013 for the Financial Year 2012-13. Accordingly, you may close the relative books of account on April 15, 2013.
3. In view of the ensuing closing of Government Accounts for the financial year 2012-13, you may please reiterate the instructions to your branches regarding introduction of special messenger arrangements at your receiving branches (situated locally) from the second fortnight of March 2013. Receiving branches not situated locally should also adopt special arrangements such as courier service etc. from the second fortnight of March 2013 for passing on challans/scrolls etc. to the Nodal/Focal Point branches so that all payments and collections made on behalf of Government towards the end of March are accounted for in the same financial year . The branches may also be instructed to take all necessary steps to ensure that the arrears, if any, are cleared before March 15, 2013 .
4. As regards reporting of March 2013 transactions by Nodal/Focal Point branches in April, the branches may be advised to follow the procedure as outlined in the Annex . To sum up, the Nodal/Focal Point branches will be required to prepare separate sets of scrolls, one pertaining to March Residual Transactions and another for April Transactions during the first 15 days of April 2013. The Nodal/Focal Point branches should also ensure that the accounts for all transactions (revenues/tax collections/payments) are effected at the receiving branches upto March 31, 2013 in the accounts for the current financial year itself and are not mixed up with the transactions of April 2013. Also, while reporting transactions pertaining to March 2013 upto April 15, 2013, the transactions of April 2013 should not be mixed up with “ March Residual Transactions ."
5. The procedure now followed for reporting and accounting of transactions of Non-Civil Ministries viz. Defence, Posts, Railways and Telecommunications (which was revised with effect from October 1, 1993), is similar to the procedure for reporting and accounting of transactions of Departmentalised Ministries. The special arrangements for reporting March transactions by receiving branches to Nodal/Focal Point branches and the procedure for reporting March 2013 transactions in April 2013 by Nodal/Focal Point branches as indicated in paragraphs 3 and 4 above are also applicable to the reporting of transactions of Non-Civil Ministries . The branches of your bank handling the Non-Civil Ministries transactions, if any, may, therefore, be advised to follow the above procedure.
6. We shall be glad if you will please issue necessary instructions in the matter to your branches concerned immediately.
Yours faithfully
(G. C. Biswal)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: As above
ANNEX
Reporting of March Transactions
Beginning from April 1, 2013, the Nodal/Focal Point branches will segregate on a daily basis all scrolls/challans pertaining to March 2013 received from the receiving branches concerned and prepare separate main scrolls for:
scrolls for transactions of March 2013 or earlier period (i.e. effected during the previous financial year 2012-13) and
scrolls pertaining to current transactions (i.e. those effected from April 1, 2013 onwards).
2. The main scrolls for March 2013 transactions prepared from April 1 to April 15, 2013 are to be distinctly marked as March Residual - 1, March Residual - 2 and so on upto April 15, 2013. In other words, serial number should be allotted in consecutive order for each main scroll of March 2013 transactions sent from April 1 to April 15, 2013. These scrolls alongwith the copies of daily summary of Receipts and Payments prepared separately for March 2013 transactions will be forwarded to the Departmental Officials concerned (i.e. Zonal Accounts Officers/Pay and Accounts Officers and Designated Officers) in the usual way. The Nodal/Focal Point branches will also be required to report the above transactions to the Link Cell through separate Daily Memos . These advices must be sent by telegrams/FAX to enable the Link Cell of each bank at Nagpur, to make daily settlement with Reserve Bank of India, Central Accounts Section (CAS) Nagpur. On receipt of advices (Memo/Telegrams/FAX) from the Nodal/Focal Point branches, the Link Cell should segregate the advices for the March Residual transactions and forward them separately to Reserve Bank of India, CAS, Nagpur for being processed on the computer. This procedure should continue upto and inclusive of April 15, 2013 only . All transactions reported thereafter by the receiving branches will be reported and accounted for in the usual manner in the accounts of the month of report irrespective of the date of transaction. Following the special arrangements for March 2013 transactions, it is necessary for the Nodal/Focal Point branches to prepare two sets of DMS to be submitted to Zonal Accounts Officers/Pay and Accounts Officers for March 2013 transactions - one for transactions upto March 31, 2013 and another for March Residual Transactions adjusted by Nodal/Focal Point branches with Reserve Bank of India, Central Accounts Section, Nagpur, during April 1 to April 15, 2013.
Since the Nodal/Focal Point branch will also be reporting the April 2013 transactions pertaining to year 2013-14 in addition to March Residual transactions, monthly statement for April transactions should be compiled and furnished to Zonal Accounts Officers/Pay and Accounts Officers in the usual way. In order to distinguish the April 2013 (year 2013-14) and March Residual Transactions, the statement pertaining to March Residual Transactions should be clearly marked as " March Residual Account " .
Note : As advised in our circular GA.NB.No.376/42.01.001/1995-96 dated May 22, 1996 all the cheques/amounts realized on or before March 31, 2013 should be treated as transactions relating to the current financial year as "March 2013 or March Residual Transactions", the reporting of which may take place during the month of April (upto April 15, 2013). But if any cheque is tendered on or before March 31, 2013 and realized on or after April 1, 2013, it will be treated as transaction for the next financial year as "April Transactions". Accordingly, the banks will prepare separate scrolls for March 2013 and April 2013 (year 2013-14) transactions.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/440 · issued 14 Mar 2013. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Instruct all receiving branches to clear arrears before March 15, 2013 and use special messenger/courier from second fortnight of March 2013.
Direct Nodal/Focal Point branches to prepare separate scrolls for March residual transactions and April transactions daily from April 1-15, 2013.
Issue immediate circular to branches handling non-civil ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecom) to follow the same procedure.
📜 Compliance
Ensure all March 2013 transactions are accounted in FY 2012-13 books and not mixed with April 2013 entries.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Branch Manager at a bank this circular applies to (All agency banks handling government tax collections (CBDT, CBEC), Branches dealing with Departmentalised Ministries accounts, Branches handling Non-Civil Ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecommunications), Nodal/Focal Point branches responsible for reporting), your first concrete step on “March 2013 Govt Dues: Special Reporting & Accounting Arrangements” is: “Instruct all receiving branches to clear arrears before March 15, 2013 and use special messenger/courier from second fortnight of March 2013.” (RBI issued this 14 Mar 2013).
Circular: RBI/2012-13/440 -- March 2013 Govt Dues: Special Reporting & Accounting Arrangements
Issued: 14 Mar 2013
Action required: Instruct all receiving branches to clear arrears before March 15, 2013 and use special messenger/courier from second fortnight of March 2013.
Action required: Direct Nodal/Focal Point branches to prepare separate scrolls for March residual transactions and April transactions daily from April 1-15, 2013.
Action required: Ensure all March 2013 transactions are accounted in FY 2012-13 books and not mixed with April 2013 entries.
Action required: Issue immediate circular to branches handling non-civil ministries (Defence, Posts, Railways, Telecom) to follow the same procedure.
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=7891&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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