Reserve Bank of India (Rural Co-operative Banks – Miscellaneous) Directions, 2025

1. One combined rulebook

This book holds RBI's mixed rules for rural co-operative banks in one place.

1. Start date

The rules took effect at once, from 28 November 2025.

2. Who is covered

These rules apply to every rural co-operative bank.

3. Which co-operatives count

Rural co-operative banks here mean State Co-operative Banks and Central Co-operative Banks.

1. Board-approved policies

The board must approve policies on donations, staff certificates and sensitive posts.

1. Ten-year unclaimed rule

Money left untouched for ten years or more goes to the RBI Fund.

2. Interest on Fund deposits

Since 11 May 2021, banks pay 3 percent interest on such deposits.

3. Monthly Fund transfer

Banks send unclaimed money to the Fund in the last five working days of a month.

4. Refund claim window

Banks file refund claims in the first 10 working days of each month.

5. Report errors at once

A bank tells RBI of any error at once. It gives the reason and the checks it has added. It also assures RBI that the error will not happen again.

6. Post-refund record keeping

After a refund, the bank keeps those papers for at least five years.

7. Auditor certificate deadline

The statutory auditor's yearly certificate must reach RBI by 30 September.

8. Answer RBI on demand

RBI or the Committee may ask. The bank must then pay what is due. It must also give any information they seek on unclaimed amounts.

9. Fund pays for awareness

Money spent on depositor education, awareness and interests is charged to the Fund.

10. Pay the depositor first

If a depositor asks for the money, the bank repays him and then lodges a refund claim with the Fund.

11. Fund account operators

A bank may name up to 10 officers to operate its Fund account.

12. Maker-checker rule

Every Fund deposit and claim entry needs a maker and a checker.

13. Returns go in original

The specified auditors certify the returns. The bank sends the original to the Fund at RBI's Central Office. It sends a copy by email as well.

14. Reconciliation certificate dates

The reconciliation certificate is due by 30 April and 31 October.

15. Audited before and after

Every Fund entry is audited before and after submission and signed by both authorised signatories and the auditors.

16. The Scheme decides

For anything else the bank follows the Scheme notified in the Official Gazette, and RBI's reading of it is final.

1. Hold KYC camps

Banks are advised to run camps and campaigns for periodic KYC updation, especially at rural and semi-urban branches.

1. Do not quote that circular

The RBI circular of 6 April 2018 was set aside by the Supreme Court and must not be cited or quoted.

1. No lottery ties

A bank must not tie itself to any lottery scheme.

1. Mandatory leave rule

Staff in sensitive posts must take at least 10 working days leave each year.

2. No work while on leave

An employee on mandatory leave may not reach any work resource, apart from ordinary corporate email.

1. Old instructions repealed

The earlier directions and guidelines on these subjects stand repealed by the circular of 28 November 2025.

BankPulse example. A compliance officer keeps an old circular on the same subject in the manual. It no longer applies. The existing directions, instructions and guidelines on these areas stand repealed. Only this rulebook governs them now.

2. Earlier repeals stand

Rules already repealed before this book stay repealed.

3. Adds to other law

These rules add to other laws, rules and directions in force; they do not take anything away from them.

BankPulse example. A bank follows these Directions and thinks the matter is closed. It is not. Any other laws, rules, regulations or directions in force still apply on top. Where another one asks for more, the bank does the more.