NEW DELHI: Banks collected nearly Rs 7,100 crore as penalties from customers for failing to maintain minimum average balance (MAB) in their accounts in financial year 2025-26, up from around Rs 6,800 crore in the preceding year, government has told Parliament. Nearly 70% of the charges, adding up to Rs 4,948 crore, were collected by private banks, which saw MAB charges rise by 17% in FY26.

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.…