FAQ Page 1 - ആർബിഐ - Reserve Bank of India
Indian Currency
B) Banknotes
Fresh banknotes issued by Reserve Bank of India till August 2006 were serially numbered. Each of these banknote bears a distinctive serial number along with a prefix consisting of numerals and letter/s. The banknotes are issued in packets containing 100 pieces.
The Bank adopted the "STAR series" numbering system for replacement of defectively printed banknote in a packet of 100 pieces of serially numbered banknotes. The Star series banknotes are exactly similar to the other banknotes, but have an additional character viz., a *(star) in the number panel in the space between the prefix.
Core Investment Companies
Core Investment Companies (CICs)
Ans: CICs are prohibited from contributing capital to any partnership firm or to be partners in partnership firms including Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) or any association of person similar in nature to partnership firms.
All you wanted to know about NBFCs
B. Entities Regulated by RBI and applicable regulations
The Bank has issued detailed directions on prudential norms, vide Non-Banking Financial (Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2007, Non-Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015 and Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015. Applicable regulations vary based on the deposit acceptance or systemic importance of the NBFC.
The directions inter alia, prescribe guidelines on income recognition, asset classification and provisioning requirements applicable to NBFCs, exposure norms, disclosures in the balance sheet, requirement of capital adequacy, restrictions on investments in land and building and unquoted shares, loan to value (LTV) ratio for NBFCs predominantly engaged in business of lending against gold jewellery, besides others. Deposit accepting NBFCs have also to comply with the statutory liquidity requirements. Details of the prudential regulations applicable to NBFCs holding deposits and those not holding deposits is available in the section ‘Regulation – Non-Banking – Notifications - Master Circulars’ in the RBI website.
Foreign Investment in India
FAQs on Non-Banking Financial Companies
Inter-corporate deposits (ICDs)
Domestic Deposits
II. Deposits of Non-Residents Indians (NRIs)
External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) and Trade Credits
F. LEVERAGE CRITERIA AND BORROWING LIMIT
Government Securities Market in India – A Primer
Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey – India
Some important definitions and concepts
Ans: The following are included under equity securities:
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Ordinary shares.
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Stocks.
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Participating preference shares.
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Shares/units in mutual funds and investment trusts
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Depository receipts (e.g., American Depository Receipts) denoting ownership of equity securities issued by non-residents.
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Securities sold under repos or “lent” under securities lending arrangements.
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Securities acquired under reverse repos or securities borrowing arrangements and subsequently sold to a third party should be reported as a negative holding.
Business restrictions imposed on Paytm Payments Bank Limited vide Press Releases dated January 31 and February 16, 2024
FASTag issued by Paytm Payments Bank
Biennial survey on Foreign Collaboration in Indian Industry (FCS)
Some other important points to be noted
Ans.: Yes, it is mandatory. Here the person authorised to fill the form owns the responsibility of information furnished and declares its accuracy including CIN number. It is a final check for all the details which are filled-up in the survey schedule of FCS survey.
Government Securities Market in India – A Primer
Delivery versus Payment (DvP) is the mode of settlement of securities wherein the transfer of securities and funds happen simultaneously. This ensures that unless the funds are paid, the securities are not delivered and vice versa. DvP settlement eliminates the settlement risk in transactions. There are three types of DvP settlements, viz., DvP I, II and III which are explained below:
Delivery versus Payment (DvP) is the mode of settlement of securities wherein the transfer of securities and funds happen simultaneously. This ensures that unless the funds are paid, the securities are not delivered and vice versa. DvP settlement eliminates the settlement risk in transactions. There are three types of DvP settlements, viz., DvP I, II and III which are explained below:
i. DvP I – The securities and funds legs of the transactions are settled on a gross basis, that is, the settlements occur transaction by transaction without netting the payables and receivables of the participant.
ii. DvP II – In this method, the securities are settled on gross basis whereas the funds are settled on a net basis, that is, the funds payable and receivable of all transactions of a party are netted to arrive at the final payable or receivable position which is settled.
iii. DvP III – In this method, both the securities and the funds legs are settled on a net basis and only the final net position of all transactions undertaken by a participant is settled.
Liquidity requirement in a gross mode is higher than that of a net mode since the payables and receivables are set off against each other in the net mode.
Retail Direct Scheme
Know Your Customer (KYC) related queries
Housing Loans
REVERSE MORTGAGE LOAN
The scheme of reverse mortgage has been introduced recently for the benefit of senior citizens owning a house but having inadequate income to meet their needs. Some important features of reverse mortgage are:
- A homeowner who is above 60 years of age is eligible for reverse mortgage loan. It allows him to turn the equity in his home into one lump sum or periodic payments mutually agreed by the borrower and the banker.
- The property should be clear from encumbrances and should have clear title of the borrower.
- NO REPAYMENT is required as long as the borrower lives, Borrower should pay all taxes relating to the house and maintain the property as his primary residence.
- The amount of loan is based on several factors: borrower’s age, value of the property, current interest rates and the specific plan chosen. Generally speaking, the higher the age, higher the value of the home, the more money is available.
- The valuation of the residential property is done at periodic intervals and it shall be clearly specified to the borrowers upfront. The banks shall have the option to revise the periodic / lump sum amount at such frequency or intervals based on revaluation of property.
- Married couples will be eligible as joint borrowers for financial assistance. In such a case, the age criteria for the couple would be at the discretion of the lending institution, subject to at least one of them being above 60 years of age.
- The loan shall become due and payable only when the last surviving borrower dies or would like to sell the home, or permanently moves out.
- On death of the home owner, the legal heirs have the choice of keeping or selling the house. If they decide to sell the house, the proceeds of the sale would be used to repay the mortgage, with the remainder going to the heirs.
- As per the scheme formulated by National Housing Bank (NHB), the maximum period of the loan period is 15 years. The residual life of the property should be at least 20 years. Where the borrower lives longer than 15 years, periodic payments will not be made by lender. However, the borrower can continue to occupy.
- From FY 2008-09, the lump sum amount or periodic payments received on reverse mortgage loan will not attract income tax or capital gains tax.
Note- Reverse mortgage is a fixed interest discounted product in reverse. It does not take into account the changes in interest rates as yet.
Important – This part is fine printed to help you practice reading the fine print. The loan agreement documentation runs into nearly 50 pages and its language is complex. If you thought everyone signs the same agreements with the bank, where is the need to read? You are not taking an informed decision. If you thought somebody would have pointed this to me if there was any problem, then maybe they did but you could not read or listen to it. Think again! Borrowers' and lenders' rights may not be expressed clearly in a transparent manner in all the loan agreements. The home loan agreement may not be provided to you in advance so that this could be read and understood before you sign the agreement. Every method may be used to delay handing over a copy to the borrower in sufficient time. Some areas you may focus are a) check the “reset clause” incorporated by some banks in their home loan agreements that allows them to change the interest rate in the future, even on fixed rate loans. Banks may set their reset clauses for 3 or 2 year intervals. They say a lender cannot have an agreement that a fixed rate is set for the entire tenure of 15 to 20 years as this will cause an asset-liability mismatch. Talk to your bank. b) Please seek clarifications on the term “exceptional circumstances” (if stated in the loan agreement) under which loan rates can be unilaterally changed by your bank. c) A common person thinks that default ideally means non-payment of one or more loan installments. In some loan documentation it can include divorce and death (in individual case) and even involvement in civil litigation or criminal offence. d) Does the loan agreement say that disbursement of the loan may be made directly to the builder or developer and in the case of a ready-built property to the vendor thereof and/or in such other manner as may be decided solely by bank? It is the borrower whose original property papers are retained with the bank, so why disburse to the builder. Possession of property has been delayed in some cases when the cheque was issued in the name of the builder and the builder refused to pay delay penalty to the borrower e) Does the agreement enable assignment of your loan to a third party? You take into account reputation and credibility of the bank before entering into a loan agreement with it. Are you comfortable with third party takes over or should you also be allowed to move your home loan from one bank to another in that case? Look for ambiguous clauses and discuss with the banker. Some agreements say changes in employment etc. have to be informed well in advance without quantifying the term “well in advance”. f) In one case the loan documentation says “issuance of pre-approval letter should not be construed as a commitment by the bank to grant the housing loan and processing fees is not re-fundable even if the home loan is not processed”. This is never ending it seems. The above are only indicative instances of what has been observed / reported/ indicated by various sources. However, our main objective was to get you into the habit of reading the fine print. If you have read this, you would have understood the importance of reading fine print in any document and we have achieved our objective. I only wish I could have made the print smaller as in the real cases.
Indian Currency
B) Banknotes
In terms of Section 25 of the RBI Act, the design, form and material of bank notes shall be such as may be approved by the Central Government after consideration of the recommendations made by Central Board.
Core Investment Companies
Core Investment Companies (CICs)
Ans: The term used in the CIC circulars is block sale and not block deal which has been defined by SEBI. In the context of the circular, a block sale would be a long term or strategic sale made for purposes of disinvestment or investment and not for short term trading. Unlike a block deal, there is no minimum number/value defined for the purpose.
All you wanted to know about NBFCs
B. Entities Regulated by RBI and applicable regulations
Foreign Investment in India
Answer: Please refer to regulation 11 of FEMA 20(R).
Particulars | Listed Company | Un-Listed Company |
Issue by an Indian company or transferred from a resident to non-resident - Price should not be less than | The price worked out in accordance with the relevant SEBI guidelines | The fair value worked out as per any internationally accepted pricing methodology for valuation on an arm’s length basis, duly certified by a Chartered Accountant or a SEBI registered Merchant Banker or a practicing Cost Accountant. |
Transfer from a non-resident to resident - Price should not be more than | The price worked out in accordance with the relevant SEBI guidelines | The fair value as per any internationally accepted pricing methodology for valuation on an arm’s length basis, duly certified by a Chartered Accountant or a SEBI registered Merchant Banker. |
The pricing guidelines shall not be applicable for investment by a person resident outside India on non-repatriation basis.