The change brings branch-opened Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts under the same charging framework as those opened through Customer Service Points or Business Correspondents. Earlier, the charges mainly covered accounts sourced through those channels. The report does not specify the year of implementation.

The monthly free allowance combines cash withdrawals across SBI ATMs, ATMs operated by other banks and branch counters. It is not a separate allowance for each channel. Once customers use their four free withdrawals, the additional charge applies, including to senior citizens.

Industry experts cited in the report link the wider coverage to recovering service costs and reducing missed fee income from branch-opened accounts. They also see it as a push towards digital payments. SBI has confirmed that digital transactions will continue without charges or limits on their number.

BSBDAs require no minimum balance and offer a basic RuPay ATM card, but no cheque book. Customers cannot retain a regular savings account alongside a BSBDA; any other savings account must be closed within 30 days of opening the basic account.

The broader basic-account market is sizeable: RBI figures put the number across Indian banks above 73 crore, holding ₹3.45 lakh crore in deposits. These are industry-wide figures, not SBI’s own account totals.