Zero-Balance Accounts to get Free ATM Card and Free Withdrawals

The Reserve Bank of India has announced major changes that will benefit millions of people who use zero-balance bank accounts.

If your account often stays at zero, this update is great news.

RBI has expanded the list of free services and relaxed several rules to make banking simpler, cheaper, and more digital-friendly.

These changes will especially help people in rural areas and small towns who depend heavily on digital payments.

RBI has made five major services free for all zero-balance account holders.

These services cover both digital payments and everyday banking needs.

Earlier, some banks counted digital payments as withdrawals and charged a fee.

Now, UPI, IMPS, NEFT, and RTGS will not be treated as withdrawals.

This means you can make unlimited digital transactions without paying any charges.

Banks will now offer at least four free cash withdrawals every month.

You can withdraw from your bank’s ATM or even another bank’s ATM without a fee.

Until now, many banks charged an annual fee for ATM or debit cards.

Under the new rules, these cards will be issued free of cost, with no renewal fee.

You will now get a free checkbook with at least 25 pages every year.

A free passbook or monthly statement will also be provided at no charge.

There will be no limit on how many times you can deposit money into your account.

All deposits will be free, no matter how many times you do them in a month.

All these benefits will officially come into effect from April 1, 2026.

However, RBI has allowed banks to launch these features earlier if they want.

So, some banks may begin offering these free services even before the deadline.