Kerala Grameena Bank

Kerala Grameena Bank is an Indian regional rural bank headquartered in Malappuram, Kerala. It is designed to provide banking and financial services to rural, semi-urban and other underserved communities across the state. The bank is owned by three stakeholders under the Regional Rural Bank ownership structure: the Government of India holds 50 percent, the Government of Kerala holds 15 percent, and Canara Bank holds the remaining 35 percent. Canara Bank is also the bank's sponsor institution. The present institution was created on 8 July 2013 through the amalgamation of North Malabar Gramin Bank and South Malabar Gramin Bank. Those predecessor banks were established in 1976 under the Regional Rural Banks Act, with North Malabar Gramin Bank beginning on 2 October 1976 and South Malabar Gramin Bank beginning operations on 5 October 1976. Their consolidation created a single statewide regional rural bank serving the areas previously covered by the two institutions. The bank operated for many years under the name Kerala Gramin Bank before the Ministry of Finance renamed it Kerala Grameena Bank on 23 October 2025. The renaming was part of the Government of India's common-branding initiative for regional rural banks and was notified through Government of India Notification No. S.O. 4836(E). Kerala Grameena Bank offers conventional retail and rural banking services, including deposit accounts, agricultural finance, micro and small-enterprise lending, housing-related finance, personal banking, remittances, payments and government-benefit delivery. Its distribution model combines physical branches with regional offices, business correspondents, automated teller machines and digital channels. The bank uses the Finacle 10 core banking platform and supports internet banking, mobile banking, Unified Payments Interface, Immediate Payment Service, National Electronic Funds Transfer, Real Time Gross Settlement and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System services. Financial inclusion is central to the bank's operating role. It participates in national schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana. It also supports Direct Benefit Transfer and Financial Literacy Centre programmes, helping connect lower-income households and rural customers with formal banking, insurance, pension and welfare-payment systems. According to the supplied reference information, as of 31 March 2026 the bank served more than 8.5 million customers through 635 branches, 12 regional offices, 475 business correspondents and 269 ATMs across Kerala's 14 districts. It reported 3,965 employees, approximately 52.7 percent of whom were women. For financial year 2025-26, the bank reported total business of ₹65,834.78 crore, consisting of deposits of ₹32,488.95 crore and advances of ₹33,345.83 crore, together with net profit of ₹776.22 crore. At 31 March 2026, its reported gross non-performing asset ratio was 1.43 percent, net non-performing asset ratio was zero percent and capital to risk-weighted assets ratio was 14.34 percent. These figures are time-specific and should not be treated as current beyond the stated reporting period. The bank has also pursued technology modernization and digital inclusion. Recognition mentioned in the reference material includes awards from the Indian Banks' Association, ASSOCHAM, Infosys Finacle, IBEX India and TransUnion CIBIL. Its reported recognitions include technology, artificial-intelligence and machine-learning adoption, digital sales and payments, digital financial inclusion, technology talent, customer service and the eKGB digital banking platform. It was also included in the 2024 Forbes World's Best Banks list according to the supplied material. Kerala Grameena Bank's overall positioning is therefore that of a statewide, publicly backed rural banking institution combining local physical access with increasingly integrated digital delivery.

Kerala Grameena Bank's institutional roots lie in the creation of two regional rural banks in Kerala in 1976. North Malabar Gramin Bank was established on 2 October 1976, while South Malabar Gramin Bank commenced operations on 5 October 1976. Both were established under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976, a framework intended to expand formal banking in rural areas and improve access to credit for agricultural workers, small businesses, artisans and other underserved groups. Initially, the two banks operated through limited branch networks in their respective parts of Kerala. Over the following decades, North Malabar Gramin Bank and South Malabar Gramin Bank expanded their local presence and developed portfolios covering deposits, agricultural lending, rural enterprise finance, personal banking and government-linked financial inclusion services. Their activities reflected the wider role of regional rural banks in combining public ownership with local operating knowledge. Canara Bank served as the sponsor bank associated with the Kerala regional rural banking structure. On 8 July 2013, the Ministry of Finance amalgamated North Malabar Gramin Bank and South Malabar Gramin Bank. The merger created Kerala Gramin Bank, which brought the predecessor institutions' operations together under one statewide organization. The resulting bank served the territories previously covered by both institutions and provided a single regional rural banking platform for Kerala. The consolidation also supported broader operational scale, a unified technology and service infrastructure, and a larger distribution network. In the years after the merger, Kerala Gramin Bank continued to combine branch-based banking with business correspondents and electronic channels. Its activities included deposits, agriculture and rural credit, retail products, payments, remittances and participation in central-government financial inclusion schemes. The bank adopted the Finacle 10 core banking platform and expanded services such as internet banking, mobile banking, UPI, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System. It also supported Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, life and accident insurance schemes, Atal Pension Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfer and financial literacy programmes. The institution was renamed Kerala Grameena Bank on 23 October 2025. The change was made by the Ministry of Finance through Notification No. S.O. 4836(E), as part of a common-branding initiative for regional rural banks in India. The new name retained the bank's Kerala identity while aligning it with the national branding approach. Reference information for 31 March 2026 describes the bank as operating across all 14 districts of Kerala with 635 branches, 12 regional offices, 475 business correspondents and 269 ATMs. It served more than 8.5 million customers and employed 3,965 personnel. For financial year 2025-26, it reported total business of ₹65,834.78 crore and net profit of ₹776.22 crore. Its reported asset-quality and capital ratios were a gross non-performing asset ratio of 1.43 percent, a net non-performing asset ratio of zero percent and a CRAR of 14.34 percent. The bank has also received recognition for technology, digital delivery, customer service and financial inclusion from organizations including the Indian Banks' Association, ASSOCHAM, Infosys Finacle, IBEX India and TransUnion CIBIL.

• 2026

  Reported 2025-26 operating and financial scale

  [1]Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org

  As of 31 March 2026, the bank reported more than 8.5 million customers, 635 branches and total business of ₹65,834.78 crore.

• 2025

  Bank renamed Kerala Grameena Bank

  [1]Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org

  The Ministry of Finance changed the name Kerala Gramin Bank to Kerala Grameena Bank on 23 October as part of the common branding initiative for regional rural banks.

• 2024

  Reported inclusion in Forbes World's Best Banks list

  [1]Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org

  The supplied reference material states that the bank was included in the 2024 Forbes World's Best Banks list.

• 2013

  Merger creates Kerala Gramin Bank

  [1]Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org

  North Malabar Gramin Bank and South Malabar Gramin Bank were amalgamated on 8 July 2013 by the Ministry of Finance.

• 1976

  Predecessor regional rural banks established

  [1]Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org

  North Malabar Gramin Bank was established on 2 October and South Malabar Gramin Bank began operations on 5 October under the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.

A government-backed, statewide regional rural bank focused on accessible banking, agricultural and rural finance, financial inclusion and digital delivery across Kerala.

• Retail banking

  Deposit accounts

  The bank provides deposit-oriented retail banking through savings, current, term and recurring deposit products. These accounts support everyday payments, household savings, local businesses and the mobilization of funds within Kerala's rural and semi-urban communities.

• Lending

  Agricultural and rural credit

  Agricultural and rural finance is a core part of the bank's regional-rural-bank mandate. Its lending role covers farming and allied activities and supports the broader rural economy, alongside credit for micro and small enterprises and other local borrowers.

• Digital banking

  eKGB

  eKGB is the bank's identified digital banking platform. It forms part of the institution's effort to complement branch and business-correspondent access with electronic banking, digital sales, payments and customer engagement.

• Payments

  Digital payments

  Using its Finacle 10 core banking environment, the bank provides UPI, IMPS, NEFT and RTGS services, together with internet and mobile banking. Aadhaar Enabled Payment System capability supports assisted and identity-linked transactions for eligible customers.

• Financial inclusion

  Financial inclusion services

  The bank participates in national inclusion programmes including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and Direct Benefit Transfer. Financial Literacy Centre activities provide supporting education and outreach.

• Financial inclusion outreach

  Kerala, India

  The bank's inclusion activity combines branches, business correspondents, government schemes, Aadhaar-enabled services and financial-literacy programmes to extend formal banking access across rural and underserved communities.

  Outcome. The supplied reference material identifies financial inclusion as a continuing operating programme but does not provide campaign-specific performance figures.

  Source

• 2025

  Adoption of the Kerala Grameena Bank nameStrategy

  Background

  The Government of India introduced a common-branding initiative for regional rural banks.

  Action taken

  The Ministry of Finance renamed Kerala Gramin Bank Kerala Grameena Bank through Notification No. S.O. 4836(E) on 23 October 2025.

  Aftermath

  The institution continued operating as Kerala's regional rural bank under the new brand name.

  Source

• 2013

  Amalgamation of North and South Malabar Gramin BanksM&A

  Background

  Kerala's two regional rural banks operated as separate institutions after their establishment in 1976.

  Action taken

  The Ministry of Finance combined them on 8 July 2013 to form Kerala Gramin Bank.

  Aftermath

  The merger created a larger institution serving the combined operating areas of the predecessor banks across Kerala.

  Source

1. 1Kerala Grameena Banken.wikipedia.org