With a view to providing greater convenience to tax payers, as in previous years, it has been decided that RBI Offices and all designated branches of agency banks conducting government banking business will keep their counters open up to 8.00 p.m. on March 30, 2019 and upto 6.00 p.m. on March 31, 2019; electronic transactions can be done till the stipulated time on both the days.

In order to facilitate Government receipts and payments, necessary arrangements have also been made to conduct special clearing operations across the country. Centralised payment systems such as the RTGS and NEFT will also be operational with extended business hours. Separate broadcast message will be issued through the respective systems indicating the extended time window to the participating banks.

As far as April 1, 2019 is concerned, since it has been declared as a holiday to enable the banks to close their yearly accounts, although RBI offices will work on that day, centralised payment systems such as the RTGS and NEFT will not be operational on that day.

Ajit Prasad
Assistant Adviser

Press Release : 2018-2019/2308