The Reserve Bank of India has reassigned lead bank responsibilities across several districts in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. This follows the Delhi government’s reorganisation of districts, notified on December 25, 2025. As a result, three new districts now exist, and one old district has been dissolved.
Key Details of the Lead Bank Reassignment
The Delhi government created three new districts: Old Delhi, Central North, and Outer North. Meanwhile, Shahdara district has ceased to exist. The RBI has assigned lead bank duties to three major public sector banks for these new areas.
Canara Bank will serve as the lead bank for Old Delhi, with district working code 03E. State Bank of India takes responsibility for Central North, under code 03F. Additionally, Punjab National Bank has been assigned to Outer North, with code 03G.
Furthermore, the RBI has reviewed and changed lead bank responsibilities for two existing Delhi districts. State Bank of India now leads the Central district, replacing Canara Bank. Union Bank of India replaces Punjab National Bank as the lead bank for the Northwest district.
What This Means for Banking Services in Delhi
The lead bank scheme plays a vital role in financial inclusion across India. Each lead bank coordinates credit delivery and banking outreach in its assigned district. Therefore, these changes directly affect how banking services reach residents and businesses in Delhi.
Since Shahdara district no longer exists, the RBI has formally revoked Bank of Baroda’s lead bank status for that area. The bank held this responsibility since July 2013. However, for all other Delhi districts not mentioned in this circular, existing lead bank arrangements remain unchanged.
Banks concerned must update their district working codes accordingly. The RBI issued this directive on October 26, 2026, under circular reference FIDD.CO.LBS.BC.No.12/02.08.001/2026-27. All lead banks should review their responsibilities carefully to ensure smooth service delivery in the reorganised districts.
Read the full RBI notification here.
Source: RBI Notifications
