Private lender HDFC Bank has made online transactions through Real Time Gross Settlement and National Electronics Funds Transfer, or NEFT, free of cost from November 1, the bank said in a notice to its customers on Monday.

The notice – seen as an effort to promote digital economy in India – clarified that these transactions, if carried out at bank branches, will continue to be charged.

Customers were earlier levied Rs 25 for online RTGS transactions between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh and Rs 50 for transfers over Rs 5 lakh.

Online NEFT transactions less than Rs 10,000 were charged Rs 2.5, while those between Rs 10,001 and Rs 1 lakh were charged Rs 5. NEFT transactions between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh attracted a fee of Rs 15, and those above Rs 2 lakh were charged Rs 25.

“The revision in NEFT/RTGS online charges is applicable across all retail savings, salary and non-resident customers, effective November 1, 2017,” HDFC Bank said.

The charges for cheque-related transactions and additional leaves will, however, get more expensive from December for non-managed savings and salary accounts. Earlier, customers could get two chequebooks of 25 leaves per year, but now it has been changed to only one year. Customers were charged Rs 75 for an additional chequebook of 25 leaves, and this has remained unchanged.

A cheque that is returned due to insufficient funds will now be charged Rs 500, an increase from the earlier Rs 300 or Rs 750, which was based on the number of times a cheque is returned in a quarter. If a cheque deposited returns unpaid, the customer will be charged Rs 200, instead of the earlier Rs 100 per instance.

“The revision in chequebook and cheque return charges is applicable only to non-managed resident savings and salary customers, effective December 1, 2017,” the bank said.