Master Circular: Incentives & Penalties for Customer Service

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Please refer to the Master Circular DCM(CC) No. G-3/03.39.01/2012-13 dated July 02, 2012 containing the scheme of incentives and penalties for bank branches including currency chests based on the performance in rendering customer service to the members of public. 2. A revised and updated version on the subject is annexed for information and necessary action. 3. This Master Circular is available on our website www.rbi.org.in . Yours faithfully (B.P. Vijayendra) Principal Chief General Manager. Annex Master Circular on the Scheme of Incentives and Penalties for bank branches including currency chests based on performance in rendering customer service to members of public. 1. The Scheme of Incentives and Penalties for bank branches including currency chests has been introduced in order to ensure that all bank branches provide better customer service to members of public with regard to exchange of notes and coins. 2. Incentives a) As per the Scheme banks are eligible for the following financial incentives for providing facilities for exchange of notes and coins: Sr.No. Nature of Service Particulars of Incentives (i) Opening of and maintaining currency chests at centers having population of less than 1 lakh in under banked States. (a) Capital Cost : Reimbursement of 50% of capital expenditure subject to a ceiling of Rs.50 lakh per currency chest. In the North Eastern region upto 100% of capital expenditure is eligible for reimbursement subject to the ceiling of Rs.50 lakh. (b) Revenue cost : Reimbursement of 50% of revenue expenditure for the first 3 years. In the North Eastern region 50% of revenue expenditure will be reimbursed for the first 5 years. (ii) Exchange of soiled notes/ adjudication of mutilated banknotes over the counter at bank branches a. Exchange of soiled notes - Rs.1/- per packet for exchange of soiled notes upto Rs.50/- b. Adjudication of mutilated notes - Rs.2/- per piece (iii) Distribution of coins over counter Rs.25/- per bag for distribution of coins over the counter. (iv) Establishment of Coin Vending Machines The existing level of incentives of a) Capital cost reimbursement of 50% of capital expenditure in case of Urban / Metro centres and reimbursement of 75% of capital expenditure in case of rural and semi urban centres. b) reimbursement of revenue cost at Rs.25/- per bag as applicable to commercial banks maintaining currency chests would now be applicable to all scheduled commercial banks including urban co-op. banks and RRBs(irrespective of whether they maintain currency chest or not) b) (i) The incentives will be paid on the soiled notes actually received in the Regional Office. Banks need not submit a separate claim. Currency chest branch will have to pass on the incentive to the linked branches for the soiled notes tendered by them on a pro-rata basis. (ii) Similarly, incentive will be paid in respect of the adjudicated notes received along with the soiled note remittances. No separate claim is required to be made. iii) The claims for incentives for installation of Coin Vending machines and for distribution of coins together with Auditor's certificate should be submitted to the respective Issue Office of RBI on quarterly basis within 30 days through the Link Office of the bank concerned .It may please be ensured that coins are supplied either directly or through linkage scheme so that CVMs remain functional. 3. Penalties a) Penalties to be imposed on banks for deficiencies in exchange of notes and coins/remittances sent to RBI/operations of currency chests etc. are as follows: Sr.No. Nature of Irregularity Penalty i. Shortages in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances For notes in denomination upto Rs.50 Rs.50/- per piece in addition to the loss For notes in denomination of Rs.100 & above Equal to the value of the denomination per piece in addition to the loss. Shortages of 100 pieces and above per remittance shall be debited immediately. Penalty may be levied on reaching a limit of 100 pieces in a cumulative manner. ii. Counterfeit notes detected in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances. Penalty on account of detection of counterfeit notes by RBI from soiled note remittance of banks and in currency chest balances will henceforth be three times the notional value of counterfeit notes. In case it is found during RBI Inspection, Snap Inspection etc. that a bank branch or currency chest has detected counterfeit notes but not reported the same to RBI or Police, strict regulatory measures against the bank including stringent disciplinary action and /or imposition of monetary penalty, will be taken by RBI. Penalty will be levied immediately for any counterfeit note detected. iii. Mutilated notes detected in soiled note remittances and currency chest balances Rs.50/- per piece irrespective of the denomination Mutilated notes of 100 pieces and above per remittance shall be debited immediately. Penalty may be levied on reaching a limit of 100 pieces in a cumulative manner . iv. Non-compliance with operational guidelines by currency chests detected by RBI officials a) Non-functioning of CCTV b) Branch cash/documents kept in strong room c) Non-utilization of NSMs for sorting of notes (NSMs not used for sorting of high denomination notes received over the counter or not used for sorting notes remitted to chest/RBI) Penalty of Rs.5000 for each irregularity. Penalty will be enhanced to Rs.10,000 in case of repetition. Penalty will be levied immediately. v. Violation of any term of agreement with RBI (for opening and maintaining currency chests) or deficiency in service in providing exchange facilities, as detected by RBI officials e.g.. a) Non issue of coins over the counter to any member of public despite having stock. b) Refusal by any bank branch to exchange soiled notes / refusal by any currency chest branch to adjudicate mutilated notes tendered by any member of public c) Non conduct of surprise verification of chest balances, at least at bimonthly intervals, by officials unconnected with the custody thereof and by the officials from the Controlling Office once in six months. d) Denial of facilities/services to linked branches of other banks. e) Non acceptance of lower denomination notes (i.e. denomination of Rs. 50 and below) tendered by members of public and linked bank branches. f) Detection of mutilated/counterfeit notes in reissuable packets prepared by the currency chest branches. Rs.10,000 for any violation of agreement or deficiency of service. Rs.5 lakh in case there are more than 5 instances of violation of agreement/deficiency in service by the branch. The levy of such penalty will be placed in public domain. Penalty will be levied immediately. b) The Competent Authority to decide the nature of irregularity will be the Officer-in-Charge of the Issue Department of the Regional Office under whose jurisdiction the defaulting currency chest/bank branch is located. c) Appeal against the decision of the Competent Authority may be made by the Controlling Office of the currency chest/branch to the Regional Director of the Regional Office concerned, within one month from the date of debit , who may decide whether the same can be accepted/ rejected. d) Appeals for waiver of penalty made on grounds such as staff being new/untrained, lack of awareness of staff, corrective action having been taken/will be taken, etc. will not be considered. 2026 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2025 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2024 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2023 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2022 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2021 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2020 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2019 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2018 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2017 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December Archives 2016 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2015 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2014 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2013 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2012 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2011 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2010 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2009 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2008 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2007 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2006 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2005 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2004 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2003 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2002 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2001 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2000 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1999 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1998 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1997 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1996 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1995 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1994 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1993 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1992 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December 1991 All Months January February March April May June July August September October November December Top Back to previous page More Links : Bank Holidays Banking Glossary Citizen's Charter Complaints Contact Us COVID-19 Measures E-LMS Events FAQs Financial Education Forms IFSC/MICR Codes Important Websites Opportunities @ RBI RBI Clarifications RBI Kehta Hai RBI’s Vision and Values (1257 kb)--> Right to Information Act Tenders Follow RBI RSS Twitter YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn © Reserve Bank of India. 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Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/90 · issued 01 Jul 2013. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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