The Reserve Bank of India has issued the RBI Relief Measures by Banks in Areas affected by Natural Calamities SCBs Repeal Directions 2026, repealing the 2018 Master Directions on relief measures for banks in calamity-affected areas. Effective July 1, 2026, the earlier framework will be replaced by updated directions relating to stressed asset resolution, income recognition and asset classification (IRAC), responsible business conduct, and credit risk management. This shift integrates calamity-related relief within broader prudential and conduct-based regulatory frameworks for Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs). The repeal includes savings provisions ensuring that past actions, approvals, liabilities, penalties, and ongoing proceedings under the 2018 Directions remain valid and enforceable. The key takeaway is that RBI has modernized and consolidated disaster-related relief norms into updated regulatory directions while preserving legal continuity for prior actions under the repealed framework.
Reserve Bank of India
RBI/2026-27/76
DOR.STR.REC.65/21-04-048/2026-27 | Dated: April 29, 2026
Reserve Bank of India (Relief Measures by Banks in Areas affected by Natural Calamities) Directions 2018 – SCBs Repeal Directions, 2026
The Reserve Bank of India being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest to do so, hereby repeals Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Relief Measures by Banks in Areas affected by Natural Calamities) Directions 2018 – SCBs dated October 17, 2018 (FIDD.CO.FSD.BC No.9/05.10.001/2018-19). The Directions shall be replaced with the following Directions issued on April 29, 2026, with effect from July 01, 2026.
1. Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Resolution of Stressed Assets) Second Amendment Directions, 2026
2. Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning) Amendment Directions, 2026
3. Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, Amendment Directions, 2026
4. Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Risk Management) Third Amendment Directions, 2026
2. Notwithstanding such repeal, any action taken or purported to have been taken, or initiated under the repealed Directions shall continue to be governed by the provisions thereof. All approvals or acknowledgments granted under these repealed Directions shall be deemed as governed by these Directions. Further, the repeal of these Directions shall not in any way prejudicially affect:
(1) any right, obligation or liability acquired, accrued, or incurred thereunder;
(2) any, penalty, forfeiture, or punishment incurred in respect of any contravention committed thereunder; and
(3) any investigation, legal proceeding, or remedy in respect of any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, forfeiture, or punishment as aforesaid; and any such investigation, legal proceedings or remedy may be instituted, continued, or enforced and any such penalty, forfeiture, or punishment may be imposed as if those directions, instructions, or guidelines had not been repealed.
(Vaibhav Chaturvedi)
Chief General Manager
