Tamil Nadu’s total credit card due: Rs 2,86,000 crore; outstanding nearly double in five years

CHENNAI: Outstanding credit card receivables of public and private sector banks in Tamil Nadu have nearly doubled in five years, rising to Rs 2.86 lakh crore in March 2026 from Rs 1.47 lakh crore in March 2022.

According to the data tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday by the Union Finance Ministry in response to an unstarred question by Ramanathapuram MP K Navaskani, private sector banks accounted for the overwhelming share of the outstanding credit card receivables.

Their receivables rose to Rs 2.81 lakh crore in March 2026 from Rs 1.46 lakh crore in March 2022. Public sector banks, meanwhile, saw their outstanding credit card receivables increase to Rs 5,667 crore from Rs 1,123 crore during the same period.

Among individual banks, HDFC Bank reported the highest outstanding credit card receivables at Rs 1.12 lakh crore in March 2026, up from Rs 71,928 crore in March 2022. ICICI Bank followed with Rs 54,865 crore, while Axis Bank had Rs 49,702 crore outstanding.

IDFC First Bank recorded one of the sharpest increases, with its outstanding credit card receivables rising from Rs 2,007 crore in March 2022 to Rs 9,165 crore in March 2026. RBL Bank had Rs 16,430 crore outstanding, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank at Rs 12,852 crore, and IndusInd Bank at Rs 9,962 crore. Yes Bank's receivables increased from Rs 2,159 crore to Rs 8,827 crore during the five-year period.

The Centre, however, said the Reserve Bank of India does not maintain State-wise information on credit card issuance and usage. The figures provided by the government relate to bank-wise advances outstanding towards credit card receivables.

In its response, the Finance Ministry said RBI's 2025 directions on credit and debit cards require explicit customer consent for card issuance, activation, enhancement of credit limits, and over-limit facilities. Banks are also required to provide clear disclosures on interest rates, fees, charges and customer obligations through Key Fact Statements and Most Important Terms and Conditions.

The government said various initiatives were being implemented to promote financial literacy, responsible borrowing, credit discipline, and cyber fraud prevention. Tamil Nadu has 128 Centres for Financial Literacy and 75 Financial Literacy Centres.

During 2025-26, the CFLs conducted 92,096 awareness camps, while FLCs conducted 10,419 camps covering responsible borrowing, credit discipline, digital financial literacy, cyber fraud prevention and sound financial management.

In Ramanathapuram district, three CFLs and two FLCs conducted 2,160 and 809 awareness camps respectively during 2025-26. Focused camps were also held for small entrepreneurs, youth and women on responsible borrowing, credit discipline, digital financial literacy, cyber fraud prevention and informed financial decision-making.

Highlights

Total bank credit card receivables

March 2022 - Rs 1.47 lakh crore

March 2026 - Rs 2.86 lakh crore

Private sector banks

March 2022 - Rs 1.46 lakh crore

March 2026 - Rs 2.81 lakh crore

Public sector banks

March 2022 - Rs 1,123 crore

March 2026 - Rs 5,667 crore

Highest as on March 2026

HDFC Bank: Rs 1.12 lakh crore

ICICI Bank: Rs 54,865 crore

Axis Bank: Rs 49,702 crore

Financial literacy camps held in TN (2025-26)

1,02,515