SBI raises the minimum balance requirement

State Bank of India is planning to increase the minimum balance required for maintaining savings account from April 1. Also, It will have a huge impact on 31 crore depositors including pensioners and students.

The monthly average balance (MAB) requirement has been increased to Rs 5,000 for branches in six metros.

Savings bank account holders of SBI and its five associates will have to maintain the monthly balance. If they don’t follow they will invite a penalty ranging from Rs 20 (rural branches) to Rs 100 in (metro cities).

Today , MAB for a savings bank account is Rs 500 without facility of cheque book and Rs 1,000 with cheque book across the country.

SBI has decided to fix separate MABs for ‘metro’, ‘urban’, ‘semi-urban’ and ‘rural’ areas from the beginning of next financial year.

NEW CHARGES

Here are all the new charges that will come into existence from April 1:

• The bank account holders will have to maintain Monthly Average Balance (MAB).
• The bank will start charging Rs 50 after the first three cash deposits of the month. This limit is prescribed for saving bank accounts.
• For current account holders the cash transaction charges can be as high as Rs 20,000.
• Failing to maintain the minimum balance can attract a fee up to Rs 100 plus service tax.
• The charges and MAB varies according to the location of bank. In addition, it is minimum for rural branches.
• In metropolitan areas  there will be a charge of Rs 100 plus service tax, if the balance goes below 75 per cent of the MAB. Also, metropolitan areas include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.
• If the account holder is falling short of 50 per cent or less of the MAB, then the bank will charge Rs 50 plus service tax.
• Charges on cash withdrawal from ATMs after the first three transaction for other banks. Further, in case of SBI ATMs charges applicable after first five transactions.
•  Charges of Rs 20 after the three transactions from other bank ATMs. In addition, charge Rs 10 for withdrawals from SBI ATMs.
• There will be no charge on withdrawals from SBI ATMs if the account holder maintains a minimum balance of Rs 25,000.
• In case of other bank ATMs, the account holder will have to keep a minimum sum of Rs 1 lakh to avoid withdrawal charges.
• Rs 15 will be charged for SMS alerts per quarter from debit card holders if they maintain average quarterly balance of up to Rs 25,000.
• Also, There will be no charge for UPI/ USSD transactions of up to Rs 1000.