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RRB Calamity Banking Services: New RBI Amendment

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2026-27/62 · issued 29 Apr 2026 · ~2 min read

Quick answerRBI has amended RRB Responsible Business Conduct Directions to add a new chapter on banking services during calamities. RRBs can operate from temporary premises, restore ATMs urgently, open small accounts without ID, and waive fees for up to one year. Effective July 1, 2026.

The rule, in the simplest words

If a disaster (calamity) happens, the bank can run from a temporary building and must tell RBI (the central bank) about it.
If the bank needs to use the temporary building for more than 30 days, it must get special permission from RBI.
The bank must fix broken ATMs quickly and set up other ways for people to get cash.
People who lost their ID papers in a disaster can open small accounts without showing ID.
The bank can choose to waive or lower fees for customers in the disaster area for up to one year.

How it plays out — a real example

A branch operations officer in a flood-hit town in Bihar sees her branch is underwater. She moves operations to a temporary tent, tells RBI's regional office, and opens small accounts for villagers who lost their IDs. She also arranges a mobile van with cash so people can withdraw money while the ATM is being fixed.

What changed

RBI inserted a new part D in Chapter V of the RRB Responsible Business Conduct Directions, covering banking services during declared calamities. Key additions: branches can operate from temporary premises beyond 30 days with RBI approval; ATMs must be restored urgently with alternative cash arrangements; small accounts can be opened for displaced persons lacking ID; banks may waive or reduce fees for up to one year.

What it means for you

RRBs now have a clear regulatory framework to ensure continuity of banking services in calamity-hit areas. This reduces operational ambiguity and allows faster relief to affected customers. Banks can use temporary premises, mobile units, and fee waivers to support communities, but must keep RBI informed and seek approval for extended temporary operations.

What you must do

Update internal policies and SOPs for calamity response by July 1, 2026.
Train branch staff on opening small accounts under KYC Directions for displaced persons.
Establish protocols for temporary premises, satellite offices, and mobile banking during calamities.
Ensure ATM restoration plans include alternative cash arrangements for affected areas.
Prepare fee waiver/reduction frameworks for up to one year, with board approval.

Who it affects

Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), RRB branch managers in calamity-prone areas, RRB compliance and risk management teams, Customers in areas affected by declared calamities

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Stated effective date Effective July 1, 2026
Decoded by BankPulse 2026-06-17 14:01 IST

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

Can we operate a branch from temporary premises without prior RBI approval?

Yes, you can operate from temporary premises immediately under advice to the concerned RBI Regional Office. However, if you need to continue beyond 30 days, you must obtain specific approval from that Regional Office.

What relief measures can we offer to customers during a calamity?

At your discretion, you may waive or reduce various fees and charges for customers in the declared calamity area, for a period not exceeding one year. This is not mandatory but permitted.

How do we handle customers who have lost their ID documents in a calamity?

You can open small accounts as per the RBI KYC Directions for RRBs, 2025, for persons displaced or adversely affected by the calamity who cannot produce identification or personal records.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI

RBI/2026-27/62
 DOR.STR.REC.51/21-04-048/2026-27
 April 29, 2026
 Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks – Responsible Business Conduct)
Amendment Directions, 2026
 Please refer to Reserve Bank of India (Regional Banks – Resolution of Stressed Assets) Amendment Directions, 2026 dated April 29, 2026 .
 2. Consequent to the aforesaid Amendment Directions, in exercise of the powers conferred by the sections 21 and 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and all other laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (hereinafter called the Reserve Bank) in this regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter specified.
 3. These Amendment Directions modify the Directions as under:
 i. In Chapter V – Financial Inclusion and Accessibility, part D shall be inserted as under:
 D. Banking services in case of declaration of calamity
 166A. A bank may operate their calamity affected branches from temporary premises under advice to the concerned Regional Office of RBI. For continuing the temporary premise beyond 30 days, banks may obtain specific approval from the respective Regional Office of RBI. A bank shall also make arrangements to render banking services in the affected areas by setting up satellite offices, extension counters or mobile banking facilities etc. under intimation to Reserve Bank.
 166B. A bank shall take immediate action for restoration of ATM services at the earliest. During the period, it shall provide alternative arrangements to address the immediate cash requirements of the affected areas.
 166C. Persons displaced or adversely affected by a calamity may not have access to their identification and personal records. In such cases, small accounts as stipulated in the Reserve Bank of India (Regional Rural Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 , may be opened by banks.
 166D. A bank at its discretion, may provide relief measures such as waiver / reduction of various fees and charges in respect of customers in the areas where a calamity has been declared, for a period not exceeding one year.
 4. The above amendment shall come into force with effect from July 1, 2026.
 (Vaibhav Chaturvedi)
 Chief General Manager

Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2026-27/62 · issued 29 Apr 2026. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.

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Who does what — compliance checklist

🏦 Branch Manager

Train branch staff on opening small accounts under KYC Directions for displaced persons.

📜 Compliance

Update internal policies and SOPs for calamity response by July 1, 2026.
Establish protocols for temporary premises, satellite offices, and mobile banking during calamities.
Ensure ATM restoration plans include alternative cash arrangements for affected areas.
Prepare fee waiver/reduction frameworks for up to one year, with board approval.

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 Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), RRB branch managers in calamity-prone areas, RRB compliance and risk management teams, Customers in areas affected by declared calamities), your first concrete step on “RRB Calamity Banking Services: New RBI Amendment” is: “Update internal policies and SOPs for calamity response by July 1, 2026.” (RBI issued this 29 Apr 2026).

Circular: RBI/2026-27/62 -- RRB Calamity Banking Services: New RBI Amendment
Issued: 29 Apr 2026
Action required: Update internal policies and SOPs for calamity response by July 1, 2026.
Action required: Train branch staff on opening small accounts under KYC Directions for displaced persons.
Action required: Establish protocols for temporary premises, satellite offices, and mobile banking during calamities.
Action required: Ensure ATM restoration plans include alternative cash arrangements for affected areas.
Action required: Prepare fee waiver/reduction frameworks for up to one year, with board approval.
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.

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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=13434&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.