Nepal Rastra Bank Directs Banks to Promote Disability-Friendly Services, Prohibits Assigning Staff Beyond Office Hours

Summary – Nepal Rastra Bank has issued guidelines to prioritize banking services for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and illiterate individuals, promoting disability-friendly services. Banks and financial institutions are mandated to establish at least one disability-friendly branch in each local administrative unit and publish the details on their websites. Additionally, the central bank has directed the installation of ATM facilities equipped with Braille size control buttons and audio support for accessibility.

May 23, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has prioritized disability-friendly banking services. The central bank has instructed banks and financial institutions to provide special priority to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and illiterate clients in banking services. These institutions must designate special counters to facilitate ease of access.

Moreover, Nepal Rastra Bank has directed banks and financial institutions to collaborate in ensuring at least one branch per local level is made disability-friendly. The details of these branches are required to be published on the banks’ official websites.

Where ATMs are located in lounge areas, banks must jointly install at least one disability-friendly ATM equipped with Braille size control buttons and audio support. Details of such ATMs are also to be made available on their websites.

If persons with disabilities are unable to operate financial services such as ATMs, mobile banking, and internet banking independently, authorized institutions must provide these services to them. Banks and financial institutions are also instructed to develop their websites and mobile banking applications to be accessible and user-friendly for individuals with visual impairments.

Additionally, debit and credit cards issued by banks must incorporate tactile features that are friendly for visually impaired users.

Furthermore, regulations have been established prohibiting banks and financial institutions from assigning employees to additional work beyond specified office hours arbitrarily. Staff are to be employed only in accordance with prevailing laws and Nepal Rastra Bank’s instructions. If work is required beyond official hours, employees must be compensated with additional remuneration, and they should not be forced to work outside standard office hours.