HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and Bank of Baroda collected the most penalties for low balances. Public sector banks collected these charges from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26. Private sector banks collected penalties from FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26. Most public sector banks have now withdrawn these charges for savings accounts. Zero-balance accounts like Jan Dhan Yojana accounts are exempt from such penalties.

HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and ICICI Bank outpace 12 PSBs in minimum balance penalty collections, revealing significant disparities in banking practices.

Private banks collected over Rs 4,900 crore from account holders for minimum balance failures. Public sector banks also gathered Rs 2,100 crore during the same financial year.…