Unclaimed bank deposits transferred to the Reserve Bank of India’s Depositor Education and Awareness Fund have reached nearly Rs 87,000 crore, highlighting the persistent challenge of dormant accounts in India’s banking system and efforts to recover these funds.
Unclaimed bank deposits transferred to the Reserve Bank of India’s Depositor Education and Awareness Fund reached ₹86,917 crore by June 30, 2026, according to a written reply in Parliament from Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. State Bank of India accounted for the largest share, with ₹20,040 crore, or nearly a quarter of the total. Punjab National Bank followed at ₹7,585 crore, while Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India also reported sizeable sums.
The figures underline how much money can sit idle in the banking system for years before being moved to the RBI-run fund. Deposits in savings or current accounts that remain inactive for 10 years, as well as fixed deposits unclaimed for 10 years after maturity, are treated as unclaimed and transferred to the fund, which is designed to protect depositors’ interests. As of June 30, banks had received ₹17,415 crore back from the fund to pay rightful claimants, Chaudhary said.
Among private-sector lenders, ICICI Bank had ₹2,278 crore in the fund, followed by HDFC Bank at ₹1,912 crore and Axis Bank at ₹1,734 crore. The RBI has been pushing banks to track down account holders, nominees and legal heirs through periodic drives, while also requiring monthly publication of unclaimed deposit lists and wider awareness campaigns. The Department of Financial Services has also rolled out a common online portal to help people search for unclaimed deposits, insurance claims, shares, dividends and mutual fund holdings.
The latest total is sharply higher than earlier government disclosures this year, which put the amount in the low-₹72,000-crore range. The jump suggests either new transfers into the fund or updated reporting, but either way it highlights the scale of dormant money still waiting to be claimed. The RBI’s UDGAM portal, launched to help depositors trace inactive accounts, is now central to that effort, though claims must still be made through the relevant bank.
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