With the expectation of higher rush of tax payers towards the fiscal end, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed its regional offices and banks to work extra time on March 30th and 31st.

On Tuesday RBI issued a circular that said, "All regional offices of RBI and branches of agency banks conducting government business will suitably extend the banking hours... to facilitate receipt of government revenue from members of public even at late hours."

The decision has been taken in consultation with the Controller General of Accounts. The move is initiated to complete the accounting of all government transactions of the current financial year by March 31st, 2009.

The banks that have been asked by the RBI to overtime for the two days include all public lenders, IDBI Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Jammu & Kashmir Bank.

RBI said that a special clearing would be carried out in the evening and night of March 30th and 31st in order to credit all the money taken from the public to the government's account.

The aim is to complete the accounting process before the closing of the fiscal.