Over ₹6,800 crore in previously unclaimed bank deposits has been returned to nearly 29 lakh claimants across India in past six months,which is not small thing ah.
And this was shared by Finance Ministry as part of effort to help people recover money which was lying unclaimed in banks . M. Nagaraju,Secretary of Department of Financial Services (DFS),spoke about this during recent review meeting with public sector banks (PSBs).
That meeting was not just about unclaimed money only . It also looked at how PSBs are doing in operational,financial and strategic areas for fiscal year 2025–26 . Basically,banks were put through full performance check .
And during same meeting,coffee table book titled Your Money,Your Right was launched . It showcases nationwide campaign meant to help citizens identify and reclaim unclaimed financial assets . Banks,financial institutions,regulators and other stakeholders are all part of this tracing and claim settlement process.
Few things standing out clearly here:
- Over ₹6,800 crore in unclaimed bank deposits has gone back to nearly 29 lakh claimants in past six months .
- DFS website has been revamped with 23 regional languages and tools for visually impaired users.
- Aggregate business of PSBs reached approximately ₹283.3 lakh crore as of March 31, 2026 .
And tbh,the revamped DFS website part is also useful if it actually works properly for normal citizens . Having 23 regional languages and accessibility tools for visually impaired users can make big difference,because many people still struggle with official banking portals.
On bank performance side,numbers are quite big . Aggregate net profit of PSBs rose to around ₹1.98 lakh crore,which is being called highest annual profit recorded in history of these banks . Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) also dropped to historic low of 1.93%,while Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPA) came down to 0.39% .
Meeting also reviewed progress under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana . Public Sector Banks were discussed in context of expanding financial access and improving banking service delivery for underserved communities,which is where real test happens.
There was also focus on end-to-end digital lending processes for small-value loans,paperless processing and integration with government platforms . Banks were told to strengthen digital banking systems,improve cybersecurity,support eligible borrowers under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 and fix grievance redressal better .
But at same time,big numbers and polished campaigns are one side . Real question is whether ordinary people,especially those who do not understand banking paperwork,will actually be able to find and claim their own forgotten money without running from one counter to another…
