RBI Notifications includes Notifications, Circulars, Guidelines, Press release issued by Reserve Bank of India & GOI Related to Banking and Fema Law.
Fema / RBI : The issue involved delayed recognition of credit losses under the earlier framework. RBI introduced ECL to ensure probability-base...
Fema / RBI : RBI clarified that the Digital Rupee is legal tender with features similar to physical cash. It enables secure, instant, and fee-f...
Fema / RBI : The issue concerns alternative settlement mechanisms for international trade. The framework allows INR-based transactions with fle...
Fema / RBI : The RBI maintained key policy rates unchanged, signaling confidence in economic stability and controlled inflation. The decision r...
Fema / RBI : The RBI clarifies which entities must file FLA returns and outlines the complete online filing process. The key takeaway is mandat...
Fema / RBI : The amendment redefines revenue reserves by excluding provisions for liabilities and depreciation. This ensures clearer classifica...
Fema / RBI : RBI revises the definition of revenue reserves to exclude provisions and liabilities. The change enhances transparency and consist...
Fema / RBI : The Reserve Bank of India has removed a key provision from capital adequacy norms to ensure consistency with updated investment ru...
Fema / RBI : RBI introduces annual IFR assessment instead of continuous compliance for RRBs. The change reduces operational burden while mainta...
Fema / RBI : The Reserve Bank of India has proposed a clear 5% IFR requirement for rural co-operative banks’ current investments. This change...
Fema / RBI : The contentions of the RBI that the dispute is between the Petitioner and Respondents is not acceptable since the dispute arises o...
Fema / RBI : Harsh Nitin Gokhale Vs Reserve Bank of India & Ors (Supreme Court) In the present case, writ petition file seeking relief to e...
Fema / RBI : Directorate of Enforcement Vs. Subhash Muljimal Gandhi ( Delhi HC)- that interest at the rate of 6% per annum under Rule 8 could ...
Fema / RBI : Ketan V. Parekh Vs. Special Director, Directorate of Enforcement and another (Supreme Court)- Ketan Parikh, Kartik Parikh and M/s....
Fema / RBI : Binod Kumar Versus State of Jharkhand & Others- In the impugned judgment, it is mentioned that the basic allegation is amassing of...
Fema / RBI : RBI issued revised draft directions to regulate recovery practices of banks, NBFCs, and other regulated entities. The framework pr...
Fema / RBI : RBI has released draft amendment directions for commercial and small finance banks to strengthen Pillar 3 disclosures under Basel ...
Fema / RBI : RBI has abolished the mandatory Investment Fluctuation Reserve requirement for commercial banks following changes in market risk a...
Fema / RBI : RBI has amended Investment Fluctuation Reserve norms for Small Finance Banks after identifying operational difficulties in maintai...
Fema / RBI : RBI has amended Investment Fluctuation Reserve norms for Payments Banks after identifying operational challenges in maintaining IF...
Attention is invited to paragraphs 81 to 83 of the Monetary Policy Statement 2012-13 announced on April 17, 2012 with regard to home loans on floating interest rates. The Committee on Customer Service in Banks (Chairman: M. Damodaran) had observed that foreclosure charges levied by banks on prepayment of home loans are resented upon by home loan borrowers across the board especially since banks were found to be hesitant in passing on the benefits of lower interest rates to the existing borrowers in a falling interest rate scenario. As such, foreclosure charges are seen as a restrictive practice deterring the borrowers from switching over to cheaper available source.
The removal of foreclosure charges/prepayment penalty on home loans will lead to reduction in the discrimination between existing and new borrowers and competition among banks will result in finer pricing of the floating rate home loans. Though many banks have in the recent past voluntarily abolished pre-payment penalties on floating rate home loans, there is a need to ensure uniformity across the banking system. It has, therefore, been decided that banks will not be permitted to charge foreclosure charges/pre-payment penalties on home loans on floating interest rate basis, with immediate effect.
The issue of semi-closed prepaid payment instrument upto Rs 10,000 without separate KYC being conducted by the issuer, for payment of utility bills/ essential services/ air and train travel under Para 6.4 (iii) was permitted on the premise that full KYC of the customer is already being done by the provider of such services. The control exercised by the issuer has been on the acceptance side, ie. utility of the card for the specific purpose at the specific merchant. Based on this rationale, it has been decided to redefine the merchant categories under Para 6.4 (iii). Accordingly Para 6.4(iii) of the guidelines dated April 27, 2009 (as amended by circular dated November 4, 2010) may now be read as:
It is expected that all banks adopt appropriate frameworks for both IT and IS Governance and put in place the proper structure and systems. Accordingly, we request you to take up suitable steps at your end in this regard and ensure that the issues relating to governance, information security and business continuity get adequate attention at the Board level. In this regard, the document prepared by IDRBT on the ‘Organizational Structure for IT in the Indian Banking Sector’ can serve as a reference manual.
Banks have not been pro-active in tracing customers linked with unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts. Also, the need to identify the owners of these unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts is closely linked to KYC due diligence. Therefore, in terms of our circular RPCD.No.RRB. RCB.BC.58/03.05.033/2011-12 dated February 8, 2012 State and Central Co-operative Banks / Regional Rural Banks were advised that they should display the list of unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts which are inactive/ inoperative for ten years or more on their respective websites by June 30, 2012. The list so displayed on the websites must contain only the names of the account holder(s) and his/her address in respect of unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts, etc.
Availability of a unique customer identification code (UCIC) will help banks to identify a customer, track the facilities availed, monitor financial transactions in various accounts, improve risk profiling, take a holistic view of customer profile and smoothen banking operations for the customer. While some of the Indian banks have already developed UCIC, there is no unique number to identify a single customer across the organisation in many banks.
Reference is invited to paragraphs 98 and 99 (extracts enclosed) of the Monetary Policy Statement 2012-13 announced on April 17, 2012 on Implementation of KYC/AML Guidelines. RRBs/ StCBs/CCBs are aware that risk categorization of customers as also compilation and periodic updation of customer profiles and monitoring and closure of alerts in accounts by banks are extremely important for effective implementation of KYC/AML/CFT measures. It is, however, observed that there are laxities in effective implementation of the Reserve Bank’s guidelines in this area, leaving banks vulnerable to operational risk. Banks should, therefore, ensure compliance with the regulatory guidelines on KYC/AML/CFT both in letter and spirit.
Attention of all Authorised Persons (APs), who are Indian Agents under the Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS) is invited to paragraph 5 (c) of the the Notification dated June 4, 2003 on MTSS and the specific permission accorded to them under FEMA, 1999 by the Reserve Bank to undertake inward cross-border money transfer activities in India, through tie-up arrangements with Overseas Principals.
Circular No. DGBA. CDD. No. H-7815 The Government of India has vide Notifications, as detailed below, notified revision in the interest rates on the deposits under the Special Deposit Scheme for Non-Government Provident, Superannuation and Gratuity Funds, announced in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) Notification No.F.16(1)-PD/75 dated June 30, 1975.
In terms of our Circular DBOD.No.Leg.BC.34/09.07.005/2008-09 datedAugust 22, 2008 detailed instructions have been given to banks on dealing with unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts. They have been advised to find the whereabouts of the customers and their legal heirs. These instructions, inter alia, include i) annual review of accounts in which there are no operations, ii) operations in such accounts to be allowed after due diligence, and iii) no charge to be levied for activation of inoperative accounts, etc.
