New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Over Rs 6,800 crore hitherto stuck in unclaimed bank deposits has been restituted to nearly 29 lakh claimants across the country during the past six months as part of the stepped-up drive to help citizens recover their money, the Finance Ministry announced on Friday.

Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), M. Nagaraju, chaired a review meeting of public sector banks (PSBs) to assess their performance and progress across key operational, financial and strategic priorities during FY 2025–26, a ministry statement said

During the meeting, a coffee table book, “Your Money, Your Right”, was unveiled. It captures the nationwide campaign undertaken to empower citizens to identify and reclaim unclaimed financial assets and highlights collaborative efforts by banks, financial institutions, regulators, and other stakeholders towards facilitating tracing, claim settlement and restitution of unclaimed financial assets to their rightful owners.

The revamped website of the Department of Financial Services was also launched during the meeting. Designed with a citizen-centric approach, the portal offers enhanced accessibility, seamless navigation and improved dissemination of information. The website is available in 23 regional languages and incorporates accessibility features for persons with visual impairments, reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusive, accessible and citizen-centric digital service delivery.

The meeting was attended by the Special Secretary, Department of Financial Services, senior officials, the State Bank of India’s Chairman, and the Managing Directors & Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors of PSBs.

The performance of PSBs across key areas, including business growth, profitability, asset quality, implementation of government schemes, financial inclusion, digital ecosystem, MSME credit flow, cyber resilience and operational risk management, was comprehensively assessed.

It was highlighted that the PSBs demonstrated strong financial and operational performance during FY 2025–26. Aggregate business of PSBs reached approximately ₹283.3 lakh crore as on 31 March 2026, while aggregate net profit increased to around ₹1.98 lakh crore, recording the highest-ever annual net profit in the history of Public Sector Banks.

Asset quality also remained robust, with Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) reaching a historic low of 1.93% and Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPA) declining to 0.39%, reflecting continued strengthening of balance sheets and prudent risk management practices.

Progress under major financial inclusion initiatives including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, social security schemes, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, PM Vishwakarma and digital lending initiatives was also reviewed. Public Sector Banks continue to play a pivotal role in expanding financial access and strengthening last-mile delivery of banking services across the country.

Status of implementation of end-to-end digital lending journeys for small-value loans and welfare-linked schemes was also reviewed during the meeting. Public Sector Banks highlighted measures such as paperless processing through e-KYC and digital documentation, straight through processing (STP) and integration with Government platforms to improve accessibility and customer experience.

Deliberations also covered strengthening of digital banking ecosystems, enhancement of cyber security frameworks and initiatives for improving access to credit for MSMEs and other productive sectors of the economy.

Banks were advised to provide proactive and need-based support to eligible borrowers under ECLGS 5.0, strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms with adequate oversight, improve operational efficiency and explore new business opportunities to sustain profitability and long-term growth.

Banks were also advised to maintain preparedness and adaptability to the recent crisis in the Middle East and evolving global situation.

–IANS

Link to photos: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2266716&reg=3&lang=1