Odisha RBI Data Centre to Host RTGS, NEFT

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that the Reserve Bank of India’s new data centre in Odisha will host critical payment systems, including RTGS and NEFT, strengthening the country’s digital financial security and resilience.

Speaking after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the RBI Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute, she said the facility’s research wing would build expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra reaffirmed the central bank’s commitment to cybersecurity and indigenous technological development.

Sitharaman linked the project to the Centre’s Purvodaya vision for eastern India’s development. She also highlighted financial inclusion achievements, including over 59 crore Jan Dhan accounts, more than ₹43 lakh crore sanctioned through over 60 crore Mudra loans, and 1.2 crore loans under PM SVANidhi.

She said UPI now handles around 2,400 crore transactions monthly, with volumes rising nearly 13,000 times since 2016-17. The minister also noted the infrastructure status granted to data centres in 2022 and the tax holiday announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 for foreign companies providing global cloud services through Indian data centres.