The Finance Ministry has revealed to Parliament that a staggering **₹86,917 crore** in has been transferred by banks to the Reserve Bank of India's and Awareness Fund (DEAF). State Bank of India holds the largest share.
₹86,917 Crore
Total Unclaimed Deposits
📊 One chart explains it
Major Banks' Unclaimed Deposits (₹ Crore)
Takeaway: SBI accounts for the largest share of unclaimed deposits transferred to the RBI's DEAF fund, highlighting the distribution among major banks.
⏳ Time Machine
How today’s news fits into the bigger picture
2007
Banking Ombudsman Scheme Expanded
The RBI expanded the scope of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme to include all commercial banks, aiming to resolve customer complaints, including those related to , more effectively.
2012
RBI Mandates Annual Review
RBI directed banks to conduct an annual review of accounts with no transactions for more than one year and reach out to account holders, especially for accounts nearing the 10-year dormant period.
2014
DEAF Fund Establishment
The and Awareness Fund (DEAF) was established by the RBI, requiring banks to transfer all inactive for 10 years or more to this fund.
2023
RBI Launches '100 Days 100 Pays' Campaign
RBI launched a special campaign to trace and settle of 100 days for 100 highest unclaimed deposits of every bank in every district, leading to a significant recovery of funds.
Late 2025
Unified Portal Initiative
The government announced plans for a unified web portal to allow account holders to search for across multiple banks in a single interface, aiming to simplify the reclamation process.
Today
The Finance Ministry informed Parliament that ₹86,917 crore in unclaimed deposits has been transferred to the RBI's DEAF.
What happens next?
RBI and banks will continue efforts to raise awareness and simplify the process for legitimate claimants to recover their forgotten funds.
A massive ₹86,917 crore in unclaimed bank deposits has been moved to the RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF), as disclosed by the Finance Ministry in Parliament. State Bank of India (SBI) alone accounts for ₹20,040 crore of this sum, followed by Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank. These are funds in accounts that have seen no activity for ten years or more. The revelation highlights the significant amount of forgotten money in the banking system and underscores the need for greater financial literacy.
💭 If you're wondering…
The money remains in the DEAF fund and continues to earn interest. Legitimate claimants can still approach their respective banks to initiate the process of recovering their funds from the DEAF.
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Official sources
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