FM asks PSBs to target youth with simple, personalised 24x7 banking service

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked public sector banks to keep pace with youth's expectations of simple, intuitive, personalised and round-the-clock banking.

Speaking at the PSB Confluence here, she asked public sector banks to launch a month-long 'Banking for Youth' campaign commencing October 2, 2026, with particular outreach to citizens above 16 years of age.

The minister said banks should take the campaign directly to youth rather than wait for them to come to branches.

Colleges, universities, skill-building institutions and other campuses can become important touchpoints for the campaign through account-opening initiatives, financial awareness and direct interaction, she added.

Each of the 12 PSBs should develop its own strategy to attract and engage youth, based on its product offering, regional presence and institutional strengths, she said, adding the larger objective should be to build a long-term banking relationship from "campus to career and beyond", ..