By Vishwapati
Patna: The last date of the month, March 31, is Sunday. Even after this, all bank branches will remain open. The Reserve Bank (RBI) has issued a circular regarding this. The goal is to make it easier to pay for government transactions on the last day of the fiscal year. All bank services will continue for the general public.
Banks’ yearly financial transaction accounts close on March 31. As a result, all government-related transactions continue until midnight. According to the RBI, the Government of India has requested that all branches of banks involved in government revenues and payments remain open for transactions on March 31, 2024 (Sunday), in order to clear all transactions in the fiscal year 2023–24.
Similarly, agency banks are encouraged to keep all government-related branches open on Sunday, March 31, 2024.
Banks will remain closed for three straight days
On March 25, practically all states will have a bank holiday to commemorate Holi. Prior to this, banks will be closed on Sunday, March 24, due to the weekly holiday. Saturday, March 23, is the fourth Saturday. Therefore, there will be a holiday in banks. To celebrate Bihar Day, banks in Bihar will close on March 22.
Banks in Patna will remain closed on March 26 and March 27 also. Bhubaneswar and Imphal will observe a vacation on March 26, the second day of Holi. According to the Reserve Bank’s holiday calendar, banks in Patna will remain closed on March 26 and 27. After that, the country’s banks will close for Good Friday on March 29.
Banks will be closed across the country on April 1. Simultaneously, banks will be closed on April 5 for Babu Jagjivan Ram Jayanti/Jumaat-ul-Vida festivities. April 9 marks the first day of Navratri. This day is also known as Gudi Padwa, the Ugadi Festival, or Telugu New Year Day. Hence, banks will remain closed on April 9. Eid (Eid-ul-Fitr) is anticipated to fall on April 10. The Eid holiday will be on April 11. The RBI schedule indicates that banks will close on April 13 for the Bohag Bihu/Cheiraoba/Baisakhi/Biju celebration. Aside from that, banks will be closed on Bohag Bihu/Himachal Day (April 15) and Ram Navami (April 17). Some banks will remain closed on April 20 in honour of Garia Puja.
The author is a senior journalist based in Patna