LAF is a facility extended by RBI to the scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) and PDs to avail of liquidity in case of requirement or park excess funds with RBI in case of excess liquidity on an overnight basis against the collateral of G-Secs including SDLs. Basically, LAF enables liquidity management on a day to day basis. The operations of LAF are conducted by way of repurchase agreements (repos and reverse repos – please refer to paragraph numbers 30.4 to 30.8 under question no. 30 for more details) with RBI being the counter-party to all the transactions. The interest rate in LAF is fixed by RBI from time to time. LAF is an important tool of monetary policy and liquidity management. The substitution of collateral (security) by the market participants during the tenor of the term repo is allowed from April 17, 2017 subject to various conditions and guidelines prescribed by RBI from time to time. The accounting norms to be followed by market participants for repo/reverse repo transactions under LAF and MSF (Marginal Standing Facility) of RBI are aligned with the accounting guidelines prescribed for market repo transactions. In order to distinguish repo/reverse repo transactions with RBI from market repo transactions, a parallel set of accounts similar to those maintained for market repo transactions but prefixed with ‘RBI’ may be maintained. Further market value of collateral securities (instead of face value) will be reckoned for calculating haircut and securities acquired by banks under reverse repo with RBI will be bestowed SLR status.

RBI vide its notification FMRD.DIRD.01/14.03.038/2018-19 dated July 24, 2018 has issued Repurchase Transactions (Repo) (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018 applicable to all the persons eligible to participate or transact business in market repurchase transactions (repos).

Scheduled commercial banks, Primary Dealers along with Mutual Funds and Insurance Companies (subject to the approval of the regulators concerned) maintaining Subsidiary General Ledger account with RBI are permitted to re-repo the government securities, including SDLs and Treasury Bills, acquired under reverse repo, subject to various conditions and guidelines prescribed by RBI time to time.

The applicant company is required to apply online on https://pravaah.rbi.org.in and also submit a physical copy of the application along with the necessary documents as per the process prescribed by the Reserve Bank vide its Press Release 2015-2016/2935 dated June 17, 2016 to the  Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, 2nd  Floor, Main Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort, Mumbai-400 001.