**Executive Summary**
This document, issued by the Reserve Bank of India on January 22, 2026, provides Amendment Directions to the "Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025." These amendments, effective immediately, are made pursuant to the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 and related regulations published in the Gazette of India. The purpose is to modify certain provisions related to financial institutions and reporting requirements.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **General:**
* The document is titled "Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026."
* These directions amend the "Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025."
* The amendments are effective immediately.
* **Paragraph 16 (1) Amendment:**
* The phrase "other development financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the RBI Act, 1934" shall be inserted.
* **Paragraph 23 (5) (v) Amendment:**
* The words "under 'Cash in hand'" shall be deleted.
* **Annex I (Form A) Amendment:**
* The words "National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Export Import Bank of India" will be replaced with "the Exim Bank, the National Housing Bank, the National Bank, the Small Industries Bank, the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development or the other development financial institution".
* **Annex II (Form VIII) Amendments:**
* The words "Export-Import Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development" shall be substituted with "Exim Bank, National Bank, National Housing Bank, Small Industries Bank, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development and other development financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934".
* The word "specified" shall be substituted with "notified" and words "from time to time" shall be deleted.
* A new item "Amount deposited with the Reserve Bank, under Standing Deposit Facility Scheme" shall be inserted.
**Impact Analysis**
**Local Area Banks (LABs)**
* **Impact:** LABs need to incorporate the specified changes related to the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) as per the amended directions. This includes changes to financial institutions included in reporting, deletion of "Cash in Hand" reference in paragraph 23 and the insertion of the "Amount deposited with the Reserve Bank, under Standing Deposit Facility Scheme". They also need to be aware of the name changes listed in Annex I and Annex II.
* **Action Required:** Update internal policies, procedures, and reporting templates to reflect the amended directions. Ensure compliance with the new reporting requirements and definitions, and update data collection accordingly.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026: The primary subject of the document, outlining amendments to the directions regarding cash reserve ratio and statutory liquidity ratio for local area banks.
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934: Referenced in the document, particularly section 2 (cccii), defining relevant financial institutions.
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: Referenced in the document, specifically Section 35A and Sections 18 and 24 which confer powers to the Reserve Bank of India.
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025: The original directions being amended by this document.
Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025: The Act that prompted the regulation amendments.
भारतीय ररज़र्व बैंक
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
RBI/2025-26/201
DOR.RET.REC.398/12.01.001/2025-26 January 22, 2026
Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory
Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026
Please refer to Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and
Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025.
2. Pursuant to the enactment of the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, the
Banking Regulation (Companies) Amendment Rules, 2025 and the Reserve Bank of
India Scheduled Banks' (Amendment) Regulations 2025 have been published in the
Gazette of India dated December 10, 2025 and January 15, 2026 respectively.
3. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949 and pursuant to Section 42 of the Reserve Bank of India Act,
1934 and Sections 18 and 24 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as amended from time
to time, and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India in this
regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the
public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter
specified.
4. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks –
Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026.
5. The provisions shall come into force with immediate effect.
6. These Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Local Area Banks
– Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025 as under:
(i) In paragraph 16 (1), the words "other development financial institutions as
defined in section 2 (cccii) of the RBI Act, 1934" shall be inserted.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
विवियमि विभाग, केंद्रीय कायाालय, 12िी ींऔर 13िी ींमींव़िल, िरीमि भिि, िरीमि पॉइींट, म ींबई 400021
Department of Regulation, Central Office, 12th & 13th Floor, Nariman Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
बैंक व ींदी में पत्राचार का स्वागत करता ै
Caution: RBI never sends mails, SMSs or makes calls asking for personal information like bank account details, passwords,
etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers.(ii) In paragraphs 23 (5) (v), the words ‘under "Cash in hand" ‘ shall be deleted.
(iii) In Annex I (Form A), the words "National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development, Export Import Bank of India" shall be substituted with "the Exim
Bank, the National Housing Bank, the National Bank, the Small Industries
Bank, the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development or the
other development financial institution".
(iv) In Annex II (Form VIII),
• The words "Export-Import Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture
and Rural Development" shall be substituted with "Exim Bank, National
Bank, National Housing Bank, Small Industries Bank, National Bank for
Financing Infrastructure and Development and other development
financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the Reserve Bank of
India Act, 1934"
• The word "specified" shall be substituted with "notified" and words “from
time to time” shall be deleted.
• a new item “Amount deposited with the Reserve Bank, under Standing
Deposit Facility Scheme” shall be inserted.
Yours faithfully,
(Manoranjan Padhy)
Chief General Manager
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