The Reserve Bank of India issued circular RBI/2025-26/250 dated March 16, 2026, directing all banks holding Currency Chests (CCs) to keep them operational on March 31, 2026, despite the day being a public holiday. The instruction aligns with an earlier circular requiring bank branches handling government receipts and payments to remain open on the same date so that all government transactions are properly accounted for in the financial year 2025–26. Since such year-end transactions may require currency chest operations, the central bank advised CC-holding banks to function on that day as they would on a normal working day. The directive ensures smooth processing and settlement of government-related transactions before the close of the financial year. Additionally, banks operating currency chests have been instructed to inform their linked branches accordingly to facilitate coordinated operations and uninterrupted handling of government receipts, payments, and cash management activities on March 31, 2026.
Reserve Bank of India
RBI/2025-26/250
DCM(CC)No.S4781/03.51.01/2025-26 | Dated: March 16, 2026
All Currency Chest (CC) holding banks
Madam / Dear Sir
Currency Chest operations on March 31, 2026
In terms of instructions contained in circular DoR.CO.SOG(Leg)No.401/09.08.024/ 2025-26 dated February 03, 2026, all branches of the banks dealing with Government receipts and payments are to be kept open for transactions on March 31, 2026 (Tuesday-Public Holiday), so as to account for the Government transactions in FY 2025-26 itself. Since such transactions might necessitate operations at CCs, the banks are advised to keep their CCs open on March 31, 2026, akin to a normal working day.
2. The CC holding banks shall keep the linked branches suitably informed.
Yours faithfully,
(Suman Nath)
Chief General Manager
