RBI Natural Calamity Relief Return: 30 October Deadline for Banks and NBFCs
RBI's new half-yearly return on natural calamity relief is due 30 Oct 2026 via CIMS. Who must file, what changed and a quick compliance checklist.
The RBI natural calamity relief return has a first deadline that is only days away: 30 October 2026. Under a notification dated 2 September 2026, banks, NBFCs and other regulated entities must now file a half-yearly return on relief measures given in areas hit by natural calamities. The older monthly return has been discontinued. Compliance teams at NBFCs in particular should confirm that someone owns this filing, because a new return and a new cycle are easy to miss. This article explains the requirement in plain language, based on the RBI notification and a regulatory digest.
What the RBI notification says
The notification (reference RBI/2026-27/250) is addressed to scheduled commercial banks, including regional rural banks and small finance banks, local area banks, urban and rural cooperative banks, NBFCs and all-India financial institutions. The RBI refers to them together as "regulated entities."
Each entity must report data on relief measures extended in areas affected by natural calamities, using a revised reporting format that the RBI links as an Excel file. The return is due within 30 days after each half-year ends. That means 30 October for the half-year ending 30 September, and 30 April for the half-year ending 31 March. Submission is through the RBI's Centralised Information Management System, known as the CIMS portal.
What was discontinued
The earlier monthly return, which applied to scheduled commercial banks including small finance banks but not regional rural banks, was discontinued from 1 July 2026. In effect, reporting moves from twelve filings a year to two, but the scope widens to more types of entity.
Why relief measures matter
"Relief measures" in this context refers to support lenders give to borrowers in disaster-affected areas, such as restructuring or extending repayment schedules. An analogy: after a flood, a lender may pause the clock on instalments so that borrowers can rebuild. The RBI wants a consistent picture of how much such help is being given, where, and by whom. The change follows amendment directions on resolution of stressed assets dated 29 April 2026, which took effect on 1 July 2026, according to the digest we consulted.
A simple compliance checklist
This is our suggested approach, not RBI guidance.
- Check applicability. Confirm your entity type is covered and whether you gave any relief to borrowers in calamity-affected areas in the period.
- Assign an owner. Name a person and a backup for the CIMS filing and calendar both dates every year.
- Collect the data. Pull branch or region-level information early, since collation across systems can take time.
- Use the revised format. Download the latest Excel template from the RBI notification rather than reusing old monthly files.
- Keep evidence. Retain supporting records and the submission confirmation for audit.
- Ask if unsure. If you believe a nil return or a different treatment applies, check the notification text or consult your compliance adviser or the RBI.
Why this fits a bigger picture
Regulators are paying closer attention to how stress is recognised and reported. With the RBI also having raised the repo rate this month, lenders face tighter funding conditions while still being asked to document support for disaster-hit borrowers. Good data hygiene now can reduce last-minute errors later.
What to watch
Look out for any clarifications, FAQs or format updates on the CIMS portal, and for whether the RBI extends the first deadline. We have seen no sign of an extension in the sources reviewed.
Key takeaways
- A new half-yearly RBI return on natural calamity relief is due by 30 October 2026 for the half-year ending 30 September, and by 30 April for the half-year ending 31 March.
- It covers banks, NBFCs and other regulated entities, is filed through CIMS, and replaces the older monthly return discontinued from 1 July 2026.
- Name an owner, use the revised format, and keep records; confirm applicability against the RBI notification.
Sources
- [RBI notification (Id 13692), dated 2 September 2026](https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13692&Mode=0)
- [BankingFinance.in: RBI circulars for October 2026](https://www.bankingfinance.in/rbi-circular-for-october-2026.html)
Tags: RBI NBFC compliance CIMS portal regulatory reporting natural calamity