Banks across Uttarakhand are holding about ₹550 crore in unclaimed deposits, but account holders and their legal heirs have claimed only ₹22 crore so far. The State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) has been running a campaign since last year to connect the money with its rightful owners.
Dehradun has the largest reported share, with ₹256.33 crore in unclaimed deposits. Separately, around 4.5 lakh inactive accounts in the district contain approximately ₹178 crore, according to the available figures.
Bank officials are trying to trace account holders and heirs using the mobile numbers and addresses recorded in account documents. Long periods without transactions, the death of an account holder and changes in contact details are among the reasons money remains unclaimed.
District-wise position of unclaimed bank deposits
The reported district figures are:
- Dehradun: ₹256.33 crore
- Haridwar: ₹88.13 crore
- Pauri: ₹52.32 crore
- Pithoragarh: ₹30.54 crore
- Nainital: ₹26.53 crore
- Tehri: ₹25.83 crore
- Chamoli: ₹15.01 crore
- Uttarkashi: ₹13.11 crore
- Udham Singh Nagar: ₹11.98 crore
- Bageshwar: ₹11.07 crore
- Champawat: ₹9.41 crore
- Rudraprayag: ₹8.66 crore
- Almora: ₹1.08 crore
The overall amount held in unclaimed bank deposits across the state is reported at about ₹550 crore. A large portion, described as approximately ₹500 crore deposited with the RBI, is still awaiting claims from eligible account holders or heirs.
Lead Bank Officer Sanjay Bhatia said heirs often do not know that an account or deposit exists. In other cases, banks cannot reach customers because their registered phone numbers or addresses have changed.
Unclaimed money beyond banks
The issue extends beyond bank accounts. About ₹50 crore belonging to people in the state is also reported to be unclaimed in LIC policies, mutual funds and shares.
This means account holders or heirs may need to check more than one type of financial asset. The available information indicates that some owners may not know about these holdings, while others have not yet submitted claims.
How to search for an unclaimed bank deposit
Account holders and heirs can search for unclaimed deposits through the RBI’s UDGAM portal. If a deposit is located, the claimant can submit the required KYC documents and a claim form at any branch of the concerned bank.
The bank returns the money to the account holder or legal heir after completing verification. Banks are also continuing efforts to contact eligible claimants through the details available in their records.
Conclusion
About ₹550 crore remains unclaimed in Uttarakhand’s banks, with only ₹22 crore returned so far. Account holders and heirs can use the RBI’s UDGAM portal and approach the concerned bank with KYC documents and a claim form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How much unclaimed money is held in Uttarakhand banks?
About ₹550 crore is reported to be held in unclaimed bank deposits across Uttarakhand.
Q. How much money has been returned to claimants?
Around ₹22 crore has been returned to account holders and their heirs so far.
Q. Which district has the highest unclaimed bank deposits?
Dehradun has the highest reported amount, at ₹256.33 crore.
Q. Where can people search for unclaimed bank deposits?
Account holders and heirs can search through the RBI’s UDGAM portal.
Q. What documents are needed to claim the money?
The claimant must submit the required KYC documents and a claim form at a branch of the concerned bank.
Q. What happens after the claim is submitted?
The bank verifies the claim and returns the money to the account holder or legal heir.
