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Indian Currency

D) Soiled, Mutilated and Imperfect Banknotes

3. Are there any instructions for preventing the use of banknotes for making garlands?

The Reserve Bank of India has issued a press release on March 12, 2008, appealing members of public not to use banknotes for making garlands, decorating pandals and places of worship or for showering on personalities in social events, etc. Press Release issued in this regard is available at the following link:
https://rbi.org.in/web/rbi/-/press-releases/respect-your-banknotes-rbi-appeals-to-public-18026.

FAQs on Non-Banking Financial Companies

Credit Rating

32. When a companys Rating is downgraded, does it have to bring down its level of public deposits immediately or over a period of time? +

If Rating of an NBFC is downgraded, it has to bring down deposits to the level to which it is entitled to as per the new Credit Rating within a period of one year.

Retail Direct Scheme

Investment and Account holdings related queries

32. How can I sell securities through Retail Direct platform? +

You can sell securities by placing an offer (sell) order in the secondary market portal. You must have the security in your account before you can sell that security.

Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) under FEMA 1999

Some Useful Definitions

Q32. Whether, any assets or liabilities for Indian party (i.e. domestic assets and liabilities) are to be included in the FLA return? +

Ans: Any domestic liabilities or assets (even if it is in foreign currency) should not be reported in the FLA return.

Domestic Deposits

III. Advances

32. Whether banks may charge interest below BPLR on loans above Rs.2.00 lakhs +

Yes. At present, loans upto Rs.2 lakhs carry the prescription of not exceeding the Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (BPLR) and on the loans above Rs.2 lakhs, banks are free to determine rate of interest subject to BPLR and spread guidelines. Keeping in view the international practice and to provide operational flexibility to commercial banks in deciding their lending rate, banks may offer loans at below BPLR to exporters or other creditworthy borrowers including public enterprises on the basis of a transparent and objective policy approved by the respective Boards.

Government Securities Market in India – A Primer

32. What are the various websites that give information on G-Secs? +

32.1. RBI financial market watch - /en/web/rbi/financial-markets/other-links/financial-market-watch

This site provides links to information on prices of G-Secs on NDS-OM, money market and other information on G-Secs like outstanding stock etc.

32.2. NDS-OM market watch https://www.ccilindia.com/OMHome.aspx

This site provides real-time information on traded as well as quoted prices of G-Secs, both in Order matching and Reporting segment. In addition, prices of When Issued (WI) (whenever trading takes place) segment are also provided.

32.3. Reported deals on NDS-OM: https://www.ccilindia.com/OMRPTDeals.aspx

This site provides information on prices of G-Secs in OTC market as reported. One can see chronological traded price levels and quantity in various securities.

32.4 FBIL – www.fbil.org.in

Financial Benchmark India Private Ltd (FBIL) was jointly promoted by Fixed Income Money Market & Derivative Association of India (FIMMDA), Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI) and Indian Banks’ ‘Association (IBA). It was incorporated on 9th December 2014 under the Companies Act 2013. It was recognised by Reserve bank of India as an independent Benchmark administrator on 2nd July 2015.

The company is run by a Board of Directors, assisted by an oversight committee. The main object of the company is to act as the administrators of the Indian interest rate and foreign exchange benchmarks and to introduce and implement policies and procedures to handle the benchmarks. It also will make policies for possible cessation of any benchmark and to follow steps for ensuring orderly transition to the new benchmarks. FBIL will review each benchmark to ensure that the benchmarks accurately represent the economic realities of the interest that it intends to measure. It will take up/consider such other benchmarks as may be required from time to time by periodically assessing the emerging needs of the end -users.

32.5 FIMMDA - http://www.fimmda.org/

This site provides a host of information on market practices for all the fixed income securities including G-Secs. Accessing information from this site requires a valid login and password which are provided by FIMMDA to the eligible entities.

Foreign Investment in India

Q.32: Whether RBI’s approval is required for transfer of shares from NRI or an OCI to a non-resident other than an NRI or an OCI ? +

Answer: No

Indian Currency

D) Soiled, Mutilated and Imperfect Banknotes

4. Can soiled, mutilated and imperfect banknotes be exchanged for value?

Yes. Such banknotes can be exchanged for value.

All you wanted to know about NBFCs

E. Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) and Chit Funds

32. If Chit Fund companies are financial entities, why are they not regulated by the Reserve Bank?

Chit Fund companies are regulated under the Chit Fund Act, 1982, which is a Central Act, and is implemented by the State Governments. In order to avoid duality of regulation, companies, doing the business of chit, as defined under Section 2(b) of the Chit Funds Act, 1982 are exempted from the provisions of Section 45-IA, 45-IB and 45-IC of the RBI Act, 1934. Thus, chit fund companies are not required to be registered with the Reserve Bank and would be registered and regulated by the State Government under Chit Funds Act, 1982. However, chit fund companies are subject to other provisions under Chapter IIIB of the RBI Act, 1934 and the Reserve Bank has prohibited chit fund companies from accepting deposits from the public in 2009. In case any Chit Fund is accepting public deposits, the Reserve Bank can prosecute such chit funds.

Retail Direct Scheme

Investment and Account holdings related queries

33. What is the process for bidding in primary auctions through the Retail Direct platform? +

After logging into the Primary Market Retail Direct platform, select the ‘Primary Market’ option beside the Dashboard, at the top of the page.
Select a security to bid from the ‘Auction Watch’ and enter the bid amount in the ‘Bid Entry’ window.
Individuals can fund their bid either at the time of bidding or at a later time, but before the closure of bidding/subscription window. Bids which are not funded as on the date of submission of bids to RBI will be cancelled.
For making payment for the bids, retail clients can use services like UPI (Transfer or Block) and Net Banking to transfer funds to a designated current account using Payment Gateways linked to the Online Portal.
Based on the allotment advice received as a part of the auction result, the allotments will be made to the individual investors.
In case of full allotment, each bidder will be allocated the entire Face Value for which bids were submitted. In case of partial allotment, a pro-rata allotment will be made to the bidder based on the partial allocation percentage determined in the auction.

For further details on the biding process, you may refer to the User Manual in the Help section of the Retail Direct Portal.

FAQs on Non-Banking Financial Companies

Credit Rating

33. Rating Agencies use different symbols for their Investment Grade Rating. Is it possible for the common man to understand the strength of the company on the basis of these symbols ? +

Reserve Bank of India has specified the minimum level of investment grade Rating for eligibility for acceptance of deposits from public by Equipment Leasing/Hire Purchase Finance Companies. However, the Rating Agencies have been advised to bring about uniformity in their Rating Levels for the common man to understand the meaning of a particular Rating.

Annual Return on Foreign Liabilities and Assets (FLA) under FEMA 1999

Some Useful Definitions

Q33. What is Direct Investment abroad by Indian companies? +

Ans: If the reporting Indian company invests in equity and/or participating preference shares of overseas company, under the Overseas Direct Investment Scheme in India, i.e. investment in Joint venture or wholly owned subsidiaries abroad, then it is considered as direct investment abroad of the Indian company.

NOTE: Registration guidelines and section-wise FAQs for further guidance to be file the FLA return are available in the FAQs section of the FLAIR portal (https://flair.rbi.org.in/fla/faces/pages/login.xhtml).

Domestic Deposits

III. Advances

33. Whether banks are permitted to charge interest below their declared BPLR under consortium arrangement to offer rate comparable to leader bank? +

No. The banks need not charge a uniform rate of interest even under a consortium arrangement. Each member bank should charge rate of interest on the portion of the credit limits extended by them to the borrowers subject to their BPLR.

Government Securities Market in India – A Primer

Annex 1 +

Specimen of a G-Sec

Foreign Investment in India

Q.33: Whether Pricing Guidelines apply for Indian company buying back shares in a scheme of merger/ de-merger/ amalgamation of Indian companies approved by NCLT/ competent authority for Buyback of shares/ Reduction of Capital by an Indian company ? +

Answer: Yes. Also, FC-TRS is required to be filed by the Indian company.

Indian Currency

D) Soiled, Mutilated and Imperfect Banknotes

5. Where are soiled/mutilated banknotes accepted for exchange?

All banks are authorized to accept and exchange soiled banknotes for full value. They shall extend the facility of exchange of soiled/mutilated notes to non-customers also.

All branches of commercial banks are authorised to adjudicate mutilated banknotes (which are legal tender) and pay value for these, in terms of the Reserve Bank of India (Note Refund) Rules, 2009 [as amended by Reserve Bank of India (Note Refund) Amendment Rules, 2018].

Small Finance Banks (up to two years from the commencement of their banking business) and Payment Banks may exchange mutilated and imperfect/defective notes at their option.

All you wanted to know about NBFCs

F. Money Circulation/Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)/ Ponzi Schemes/ Unincorporated Bodies (UIBs)

33. There are some companies like Multi-Level Marketing companies, Direct Selling Companies, Online Selling Companies. Do they come under the purview of the Reserve Bank? +

No, Multi-Level Marketing companies, Direct Selling Companies, Online Selling Companies do not fall under the purview of the Reserve Bank. Activities of these companies fall under the regulatory/administrative domain of respective state government. The provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021 may be referred. The list of regulators and the entities regulated by them are provided in Annex I.

FAQs on Non-Banking Financial Companies

Credit Rating

34. What is the period of validity of a companys Rating ? +

The Reserve Bank has stipulated that the Credit Rating should be obtained by the NBFCs once in a year. Normally, the Credit Rrating of a company is valid till it is reviewed by the concerned Rating Agency.

Retail Direct Scheme

Investment and Account holdings related queries

34. How many bids can I place in primary auctions? +

You can submit only one final bid per security in each primary auction of dated G-Sec, T-Bills and SDLs.

Domestic Deposits

III. Advances

34. What should be penal rate of interest? +

With effect from October 10, 2000, banks have been given freedom to formulate transparent policy for charging penal interest with the approval of their Board of Directors. However, in the case of loans to borrowers under priority sector, no penal interest should be charged for loans up to Rs.25,000. Penal interest may be levied for reasons such as default in repayment, non-submission of financial statements, etc. However, the policy on penal interest should be governed by well-accepted principles of transparency, fairness, incentive to services the debt and genuine difficulties of customers.