RBI/2015-16/242
DBR.RRB.BC.No. 59/31.01.001/2015-16
November 19, 2015
All Regional Rural Banks
Dear Sir/Madam,
Internet Banking Facility for Customers of Regional Rural Banks
Presently, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) are not permitted to provide internet banking facilities to their customers. With a view to enhancing customer service and taking into account demand for such services, it has been decided to allow RRBs to extend the facility of internet banking to their customers. The guidelines applicable to all the Regional Rural Banks are as follows:
I. Internet Banking (View only) facility
2. All RRBs which have implemented Core Banking Solution (CBS) and migrated to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) and complying with the guidelines prescribed in Annex-I to this circular may offer Internet Banking (View only) facility to their customers, without prior approval of RBI. In case, any service offered under 'view only' facility requires two-factor authentication or One Time Password (OTP), banks may adopt the security features prescribed in Annex II to this circular, as appropriate to such services.
3. The RRBs offering Internet Banking (View only) facility to their customers should ensure that the facility is strictly for non-transactional services such as balance enquiry, balance viewing, account statement download, request for supply of cheque books, etc. and no online fund-based transactions are allowed.
4. The RRBs have to report commencement of the service to the concerned Regional Office of RBI and NABARD within one month of operationalization of Internet Banking (View only) facility.
II. Internet Banking with Transactional facility
5. All RRBs which have implemented CBS and have also migrated to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) and fulfilling the following criteria may offer Internet Banking with transactional facility to their customers with prior approval of RBI:
- CRAR of not less than 10 per cent.
- Networth is Rs.100 crore or more as on March 31 of the immediate preceding financial year.
- Gross NPAs less than 7 % and Net NPAs not more than 3%
- The bank should have made a net profit in the immediate preceding financial year and overall, should have made net profit at least in three out of the preceding four financial years.
- It should not have defaulted in maintenance of CRR/SLR during the immediate preceding financial year.
- The bank has a track record of regulatory compliance and no monetary penalty has been imposed on the bank for violation of RBI directives/guidelines during the two financial years, preceding the year in which the application is made.
- It has sound internal control system which should be approved by a CISA qualified independent auditor.
- The bank should not have accumulated losses.
6. RRBs fulfilling the above-mentioned criteria will be allowed to extend Internet Banking with transactional facility provided they comply with the guidelines prescribed in Annex I and II to this circular. For this purpose, the intending RRB shall submit an application to the concerned Regional Office of RBI through NABARD with the following documents:
- A copy of the Board approved policy on internet banking along with a certificate from an independent auditor (CISA qualified) that the IT and IS policy requirements prescribed in RBI guidelines have been adhered to.
- An undertaking to inform RBI about any material change in the services/products offered by them.
- The business plan, cost and benefit analysis, operational arrangements like technology adopted, business partners, third party service providers and systems and control procedures that the bank proposes to adopt for managing risks.
7. The bank will report to the concerned Regional Office of RBI and NABARD every breach or failure of security systems and procedures and the latter, at its discretion, may decide to commission a special audit/inspection of such bank.
Yours faithfully,
(Sudha Damodar)
Chief General Manager