DFS Secretary Reviews PSB Performance FY 2025‑26: Record Profit & Low GNPA

<p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Department of Financial Services — The Ministry of Finance division that oversees banking, insurance and financial inclusion policies (GS3: Economy)">Department of Financial Services (DFS)</span> held a review meeting on 29 May 2026, chaired by <strong>Shri M. Nagaraju, Secretary, DFS</strong>. The meeting examined the performance of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Public Sector Banks — Government‑owned banks that play a crucial role in financial inclusion and policy implementation (GS3: Economy)">Public Sector Banks (PSBs)</span> for FY 2025‑26.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>A coffee‑table book titled “आपकी पूँजी, आपका अधिकार (Your Money, Your Right)” was unveiled, documenting the campaign to trace and restitute unclaimed assets. Over ₹6,800 crore was returned to nearly 29 lakh claimants in the last six months.</li> <li>The DFS website was relaunched with multilingual support in 23 regional languages and accessibility features for visually‑impaired users.</li> <li>PSBs reported a record net profit of <strong>₹1.98 lakh crore</strong>, the highest ever.</li> <li>Aggregate business of PSBs reached <strong>₹283.3 lakh crore</strong> as of 31 March 2026.</li> <li>Asset quality improved, with <span class="key-term" data-definition="Gross Non-Performing Assets — Total amount of loans that are overdue for 90 days or more, expressed as a percentage of total advances; a key indicator of asset quality (GS3: Economy)">Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA)</span> falling to a historic low of <strong>1.93 %</strong> and <span class="key-term" data-definition="Net Non-Performing Assets — GNPA after accounting for provisions and recoveries; lower NNPA indicates better risk management (GS3: Economy)">Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPA)</span> declining to <strong>0.39 %</strong>.</li> <li>Progress on financial‑inclusion schemes such as <span class="key-term" data-definition="Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana — A flagship financial inclusion scheme aimed at providing bank accounts to every household (GS3: Economy)">Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)</span>, <span class="key-term" data-definition="Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana — Scheme that offers collateral‑free loans to micro‑entrepreneurs (GS3: Economy)">Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)</span>, and digital lending initiatives was reviewed.</li> <li>Digital lending processes now use <span class="key-term" data-definition="e‑KYC — Electronic Know Your Customer, a digital method for verifying identity using Aadhaar or other databases, reducing paperwork (GS3: Economy)">e‑KYC</span>, paper‑less documentation, and straight‑through processing (STP) to improve speed and customer experience.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <ul> <li>Net profit: <strong>₹1.98 lakh crore</strong> (FY 2025‑26).</li> <li>Aggregate business: <strong>₹283.3 lakh crore</strong>.</li> <li>GNPA: <strong>1.93 %</strong> (historic low).</li> <li>NNPA: <strong>0.39 %</strong>.</li> <li>Unclaimed asset restitution: ₹6,800 crore to 29 lakh claimants.</li> <li>Website available in 23 languages with accessibility options.</li> </ul> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>The data illustrate the impact of government‑driven banking reforms on financial stability, inclusion, and digital transformation—core topics in <strong>GS 3: Economy</strong>. Understanding PSB performance helps answer questions on fiscal health, asset quality, and the effectiveness of schemes like <span class="key-term" data-definition="Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana — A flagship financial inclusion scheme aimed at providing bank accounts to every household (GS3: Economy)">PMJDY</span> and <span class="key-term" data-definition="Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana — Scheme that offers collateral‑free loans to micro‑entrepreneurs (GS3: Economy)">PMMY</span>. The emphasis on digital interfaces and cyber‑resilience aligns with emerging themes on technology governance and public‑sector accountability.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <ul> <li>Maintain prudent expenditure and austerity while supporting credit flow under ECLGS 5.0.</li> <li>Strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms and oversight.</li> <li>Accelerate end‑to‑end digital lending journeys, especially for small‑value and welfare‑linked loans.</li> <li>Enhance cyber‑security frameworks to safeguard the growing digital ecosystem.</li> <li>Continue inclusive outreach through multilingual platforms and accessibility features.</li> <li>Monitor global risks, such as the Middle‑East crisis, and ensure operational preparedness.</li> </ul>