Bank Holiday Today: It is important to check bank working days before planning a visit to the nearest bank branch on the weekend. All banks, including cooperatives, PSBs, regional, etc., do not function on all Saturdays. According to the existing holiday policy, banks will remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. This means it is a bank holiday today, Saturday, September 14. Additionally, RBI has notified a holiday for today for banks in Kerala and Jharkhand on the occasion of Karma Puja/First Onam.
Bank Holiday due to Onam/Karma Puja
According to RBI’s calendar, there is a holiday for all banks in Kerala and Jharkhand on September 14 on the occasion of Onam and Karma Puja. Hence, had it not been a second Saturday, banks would still be shut in the two states due to the festival.
In many states, there will be a long holiday for banks between September 13-18, due to a rare mix of regional holidays, festivals and the weekend. This month, all public and private banks in India will remain shut for at least 14 days, including weekend holidays for second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays, besides religious and regional festivals. It is thus advisable to plan your bank visits accordingly.
Five days Banking
Banking activists and unions have been asking for a five-day banking system for years. Several government ministers have often stated that they will implement a five-day banking system soon, making holidays on all Saturdays and Sundays mandatory. Earlier this year, the United Forum of Bank Unions, a coalition of bank employee unions, wrote a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urging the implementation of a five-day week for all banks. Several source-based media reports have also claimed that the government is mulling over a proposal to implement a five-day week for banks. However, there has been no official announcement related to the same till now.
