Mumbai, Mar 13 (PTI) The State Bank of India today reduced its charges on non-maintenance of an average monthly balance (AMB) in savings account by up to 75 per cent, effective April 1.

The charges for non-maintenance of AMB for customers in metro and urban centres have been reduced from a maximum of ₹ 50 per month plus goods and services tax (GST), to ₹ 15 per month plus GST. The above revision will benefit 25 crore bank customers.

For semi-urban and rural centres, the charges have been reduced from ₹ 40 per month plus GST to ₹ 12 and ₹ 10 per month plus GST, respectively, the bank said in a release.

"We have reduced these charges taking into account the feedback and sentiments of our customers," SBI's managing director (retail and digital banking) P K Gupta said.

"The bank has always focused on keeping the interests of its customers first and this is one of our many efforts towards fulfilling customers' expectations," he said.

The SBI also offers its customers to shift from a regular savings bank account to basic savings bank deposit account (BSBD) on which no charges are levied.

A customer always has the option of converting the regular savings bank account to BSBD account free of charge, in case he desires to avail basic savings bank facilities without being subject to maintenance of AMB, Gupta said.

The lender has 41 crore savings bank accounts, out of which 16 crore accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna/ BSBD, and of pensioners/ minors/ social security benefit holders are already exempted from charges on non- maintenance of minimum balance.

Reduction of non maintenance savings account charges lowers customer fees and allows free conversion to basic savings accounts. The State Bank of India reduced penalties for non maintenance of an average monthly balance in savings accounts, lowering monthly charges across metro, urban, semi urban and rural categories effective April 1; customers may convert free of charge to a Basic Savings Bank Deposit account to avoid AMB requirements, and existing exemptions for specified account classes remain intact.