Yes. Complainants can log on to RBI’s CMS portal (https://cms.rbi.org.in) and can share their feedback under the tab “Feedback”. This feedback is analyzed at RBI for further improving the grievance redress under RB-IOS, 2021.

Ans: To ease the process of activating the ‘Inoperative Accounts’, a bank shall make available the facility of updation of KYC at all branches of the bank, through Video-Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) if requested by a account holder, subject to the facility of V-CIP being provided by the bank.

Ans. All wallet transactions involving debit to the wallet, including cash withdrawal transactions, are permitted only by validation through a 2FA. The AFA requirements for PPI Cards (physical or virtual) shall be same as required for debit cards. 2FA / AFA is not mandatory for PPIs issued under PPI-MTS and Gift PPIs.

A partnership firm which fulfills the conditions stipulated under the automatic route may make the investment without prior approval and submit a report containing the following details through an authorised dealer with in 30 days of making such investments –Name and full address and registration of partnership.Full details of investment abroad.Date and amount of remittance/amount of capitalisation of fees/other entitlements due.Name and address of the foreign concern together with its line of activities.Identification number (if already allotted by the Reserve Bank)

The individual will have to designate a branch of an AD through which all the remittances under the Scheme will be made. He has to furnish an application-cum-declaration in the specified format regarding the purpose of the remittance and declare that the funds belong to him and will not be used for purposes prohibited or regulated under the Scheme.

Banks have freedom to charge interest rate beyond the declared 'spread' on advances granted to NBFCs for onlending for consumer credit.

RBI may call for information from any agent or SGL/CSGL account holder and cause an inspection or scrutiny to be made of any agent or SGL/CSGL account holder. Further, RBI may issue directions to the SGL/CSGL account holders, agents and to any other person dealing with the Government securities.

A. Under all circumstances at least 51 per cent of the voting equity shares of the NOFHC shall be held by companies in the Promoter Group, in which public shareholding is not less than 51 percent.[para 2 (C) (ii) (b) of the guidelines]

The online portal (https://cms.rbi.org.in) enables filing of complaint in two languages i.e. Hindi and English. However, facts/description of the complaint can be typed, copied and pasted in description box, in any language for upto 2,000 characters. However, the physical and email complaints can be filed in any language.

Ans. All PPIs shall have a minimum validity period of one year from the date of last loading / reloading in the PPI. PPI issuers are, however, free to issue PPIs with a longer validity. Issuers shall clearly indicate the expiry period of the PPI to the customer at the time of issuance of PPIs.

Partnership firms, which are not eligible under the Automatic Route, are required to make an application in form ODI to the Reserve Bank for necessary approval.

The investor is free to book profit or loss abroad and to invest abroad again. He is under no obligation to repatriate the funds sent abroad.

With effect from April 1, 2002 the interest rates on loans and advances should be charged with monthly rests except in the case of agricultural advances( including short term loans and other allied activities) where the existing practice would continue. However the banks should compound the interest at monthly intervals only from April 1, 2003.

If any person, for the purpose of obtaining for himself or any other person any title to a Government security, makes false statement then he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both. Further, RBI may impose on any person who contravenes any provision of the G S Act, or contravenes any regulation, notification or direction issued under the G S Act, or violates the terms and conditions for opening and maintenance of SGL/CSGL account a penalty not exceeding five lakh rupees and where such contravention is a continuing one, further penalty, which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day after first day during which the contravention continues.

FAQs in respect of Relief/Savings Bonds

As mentioned above, Relief/Savings Bonds are Government securities and they are issued in the form of Stock and BLA by RBI and in the form of BLA by the Agency banks. The provisions of the G S Act and the G S Regulations also apply to them. For the convenience of the Relief/Savings Bonds holders, certain specific aspects have been elaborated here.

A. Non-voting equity shares are not a part of the guidelines, but are subject to relevant laws/ SEBI guidelines. Non-voting capital will not be reckoned for the purpose of calculation of promoter shareholding in the NOFHC/ bank.

Macro level: RBI Spreads awareness on RB-IOS, 2021 and related matters through various means including:

1. Awareness campaigns hosted with the tag line “RBI Kehta Hai” and placed on the RBI website at /en/web/rbi/rbi-kehta-hai.

2. Awareness related messages placed on RBI website as well as the CMS portal. This covers cyber-crime awareness including frauds using mobile apps/ UPI/ QR codes etc.

3. Awareness messages on illegal collection of deposits by unauthorized entities are hosted on Sachet portal at https://rbi.org.in/en/web/rbi/rbi-kehta-hai/sachet-portal.

4. Messages broadcasted in various multimedia channels including during prime time.

5. RBI has released two booklets, viz., BE(A)WARE on the common modus operandi used by fraudsters and precautions to be taken while carrying out various financial transactions, and ‘Raju and the Forty Thieves’ covering forty stories providing glimpses of various fraudulent means employed by fraudsters, and provides simple tips about Do’s and Don’ts as safeguards against such incidents.

6. All banks also repeatedly send SMS/ email to their customers detailing the modus operandi of different types of frauds and the due diligence required at the customer’s end to safeguard oneself from such frauds.

7. List of Do’s and Don’t is published on the RBI website as tickers.

Apart from the above, various outreaches including by Regional Offices of RBI, Centres for Financial Literacy (CFLs) and Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs), specific awareness programmes, town hall events and display of information/ messages at various public places are being regularly held through RBI Ombudsman Offices. ‘Ombudsman Speak’ too is held in the months of March and repeated in October, every year.

Ans. A PPI with no financial transaction for a consecutive period of one year shall be made / treated inactive after sending a notice to the PPI holder. It can be reactivated only after validation and applicable due diligence.

It will be in order for individual partners to hold shares for and on behalf of the firm in overseas JV/WOS provided the entire funding for the investment is done by the firm and if the host country regulations or operational requirements warrant such holding.

Once a remittance is made for an amount upto USD 25,000 during the calendar year, he would not be eligible to make any further remittances under this route, even if the proceeds of the investments have been brought back into the country.

The interest rate directives on bank advances will not be applicable to loans or advances or other financial accommodation made or provided or renewed by a scheduled bank, inter alia, to its own employees. Where the advances are provided by the bank to co-operative credit societies formed by the bank’s staff members for lending to constituents ( i.e. Staff of the bank ) the interest rate directives of the RBI will not apply to such advances.