How are RBI guidelines enhancing multilingual customer communication and speeding up grievance resolution?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- RBI emphasizes multilingual communication for clearer customer interactions.
- All materials must be available in Hindi, English, and the regional language.
- The RB-IOS offers a no-cost grievance redressal platform.
- The CPGRAMS portal assesses citizen satisfaction post-grievances.
- The toll-free Contact Centre assists customers in multiple languages.
New Delhi, Aug 12 (NationPress) The Reserve Bank of India has consistently emphasized the significance of effective and comprehensible communication between financial institutions and their clientele, highlighting the necessity of utilizing the language preferred by the customer, as stated in Parliament on Tuesday.
According to Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance, the RBI's Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks mandates that all materials directed at customers in the branches of Scheduled Commercial Banks be accessible in Hindi, English, and the respective regional language.
Reaffirming this directive, the RBI reiterated on September 30, 2024, that all customer communications should be issued in a tri-lingual format — Hindi, English, and the relevant regional language — to promote transparency, clarity, and convenience for everyone, the Minister added.
As per the minister, all banks maintain a comprehensive board-approved grievance redressal system to resolve complaints.
Moreover, the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2021, offers a no-cost platform for addressing grievances against RBI-regulated entities concerning service deficiencies, provided the complaint is not resolved or the entity fails to respond within the stipulated timeframe, Chaudhary stated.
The government has also implemented the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal, which has featured a feedback call center since June 2022, to evaluate citizen satisfaction post-grievance resolution, with feedback being forwarded to the respective banks for necessary action, the Minister mentioned.
Additionally, the RBI operates a toll-free Contact Centre (14448), in service since November 2021, which offers information about the grievance redressal process, support in lodging complaints, and updates on ongoing cases.
The Contact Centre is available 24/7 via the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), while direct connection to personnel is available from Monday to Saturday (excluding National Holidays) in Hindi, English, and 10 other regional languages.