Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central bank of the country. RBI is a statutory body. It is
responsible for printing of currency notes and managing the supply of money in the Indian
economy.

Initially the ownership of almost all the share capital was in the hands of non-government
share holders. So in order to prevent the centralisation of the shares in few hands, the RBI
was nationalised on January 1, 1949.

Functions of Reserve Bank

1. Issue of Notes —The Reserve Bank has the monopoly for printing the currency notes in
the country. It has the sole right to issue currency notes of various denominations except
one rupee note (which is issued by the Ministry of Finance). The Reserve Bank has adopted
the Minimum Reserve System for issuing/printing the currency notes. Since 1957, it
maintains gold and foreign exchange reserves of Rs. 200 Cr. of which at least Rs. 115 cr.
should be in gold and remaining in the foreign currencies.

2. Banker to the Government–The second important function of the Reserve Bank is to

act as the Banker, Agent and Adviser to the Government of India and states. It performs all
the banking functions of the State and Central Government and it also tenders useful advice
to the government on matters related to economic and monetary policy. It also manages
the public debt of the government.

3. Banker’s Bank:- The Reserve Bank performs the same functions for the
other commercial banks as the other banks ordinarily perform for their customers. RBI lends
money to all the commercial banks of the country.
Structure of Banking Sector in India

4. Controller of the Credit:- The RBI undertakes the responsibility of controlling credit
created by the commercial banks. RBI uses two methods to control the extra flow of money
in the economy. These methods are quantitative and qualitative techniques to control and
regulate the credit flow in the country. When RBI observes that the economy has
sufficient money supply and it may cause inflationary situation in the country then it
squeezes the money supply through its tight monetary policy and vice versa.

5. Custodian of Foreign Reserves:-For the purpose of keeping the foreign exchange

rates stable, the Reserve Bank buys and sells the foreign currencies and also protects the
country's foreign exchange funds. RBI sells the foreign currency in the foreign exchange
market when its supply decreases in the economy and vice-versa. Currently India has
Foreign Exchange Reserve of around US$ 360bn.

6. Other Functions:-The Reserve Bank performs a number of other developmental works.

These works include the function of clearing house arranging credit for agriculture (which
has been transferred to NABARD) collecting and publishing the economic data, buying and
selling of Government securities (gilt edge, treasury bills etc)and trade bills, giving loans to
the Government buying and selling of valuable commodities etc. It also acts as the
representative of Government in International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) and represents
the membership of India.
 New department constituted in RBI:- On July 6, 2005 a new department,
named financial market department in reserve bank of India was constituted for surveillance
on financial markets.
This newly constituted dept. will separate the activities of debt management and monetary
operations in future. This department will also perform the duties of developing and
monitoring the instruments of the money market and also monitoring the government
securities and foreign money markets.

So it can be concluded that as soon as the our country is growing the role of RBI is going to
be very crucial in the upcoming years.

Central Banking in India: Functions of

RBI
Key Facts:

 In the monetary system of all countries, the central bank occupies a most important place.
 The Central Bank is an apex institution of the monetary system which regulates the functioning of the
commercial banks of a country.
 The Central Bank of India is ‘Reserve Bank of India’.
 A Central Bank is primarily meant to promote the financial and economic stability of the country.
 The Central Bank of a country promotes economic growth and stability and controls inflation

Functions of the Central Banks/RBI

 Issue of Currency Notes

 Under section 22 of RBI Act, the bank has the sole right to issue currency notes of all denominations
except one-rupee coins and notes.
 The one-rupee notes and coins and small coins are issued by Central Government, and their distribution
is undertaken by RBI as the agent of the government.
 The RBI has a separate issue department which is entrusted with the issue of currency notes.

Banker to The Government

 The RBI acts as a banker agent and adviser to the government. It has an obligation to transact the
banking business of Central Government as well as State Governments.
 Example, RBI receives and makes all payments on behalf of the government, remits its funds, buys and
sells foreign currencies for it and gives it advice on all banking matters.
 RBI helps the Government – both Central and state – to float new loans and manage public debt.
 On behalf of the central government, it sells treasury bills and thereby provides short-term finance.
 Banker’s bank And Lender of Last Resort

 RBI acts as a banker to other banks. It provides financial assistance to scheduled banks and state co-
operative banks in the form of rediscounting of eligible bills and loans and advances against approved
securities.
 RBI acts as a lender of last resort. It provides funds to the bank when they fail to get it from any other
source.
 It also acts as a clearing house. Through RBI, banks make inter-banks payments.

Manages Exchange Rate and Is Custodian of the Foreign Exchange Reserve

 RBI has the responsibility of removing fluctuations from the exchange rate market and maintaining a
competitive and stable exchange rate.
 RBI functions as custodian of nations foreign exchange reserves.
 It has to maintain a fair external value of Rupee.
 RBI achieves its objective through appropriate monetary and exchange rate policies.

Collection and Publication of Data

 The RBI collects and compiles statistical/data information on banking and financial operations, prices,
FDIs, FPIs, BOP, Exchange Rate and industries etc., of the economy.
 The Reserve Bank of India publishes a monthly Bulletin/publication for the same.
 It not only provides information but also highlights important studies and investigations conducted by RBI.

Regulator and Supervisor of Commercial Banks

 The RBI has wide powers to supervise and regulate the commercial and co-operative banks in India.
 RBI issues licenses regulate branch expansion, manages liquidity and Assets, management and methods
of working of commercial banks and amalgamation, reconstruction and liquidation of the banks.

Clearing House Functions

 The RBI acts as a clearing house for all member banks. This avoids unnecessary transfer of funds
between the various banks.

Measures of Credit Control in India

The management of the money supply and credit control is an important function of the Reserve Bank of
India. The money supply has an important bearing on the functioning of the economy.

Controller of Credit

 RBI has the power to control the volume of credit created by banks. The RBI through its various
quantitative and qualitative measures regulates the money supply and bank credit in an economy.
 RBI pumps in money during recessions and slowdowns and withdraws money supply during an
inflationary period.
Important Methods adapted by RBI to
Control Credit Creation
Some of the methods employed by the RBI to control credit creation are:
I. Quantitative Method
II. Qualitative Method.
The various methods employed by the RBI to control credit creation power of the
commercial banks can be classified in two groups, viz., quantitative controls and
qualitative controls. Quantitative controls are designed to regulate the volume of credit
created by the banking system qualitative measures or selective methods are designed to
regulate the flow of credit in specific uses.

Quantitative or traditional methods of credit control include banks rate policy, open
market operations and variable reserve ratio. Qualitative or selective methods of credit
control include regulation of margin requirement, credit rationing, regulation of
consumer credit and direct action.

I. Quantitative Method:
(i) Bank Rate:
The bank rate, also known as the discount rate, is the rate payable by commercial banks
on the loans from or rediscounts of the Central Bank. A change in bank rate affects other
market rates of interest. An increase in bank rate leads to an increase in other rates of
interest and conversely, a decrease in bank rate results in a fall in other rates of interest.

A deliberate manipulation of the bank rate by the Central Bank to influence the flow of
credit created by the commercial banks is known as bank rate policy. It does so by
affecting the demand for credit the cost of the credit and the availability of the credit.

An increase in bank rate results in an increase in the cost of credit; this is expected to
lead to a contraction in demand for credit. In as much as bank credit is an important
component of aggregate money supply in the economy, a contraction in demand for
credit consequent on an increase in the cost of credit restricts the total availability of
money in the economy, and hence may prove an anti-inflationary measure of control.
Likewise, a fall in the bank rate causes other rates of interest to come down. The cost of
credit falls, i. e., and credit becomes cheaper. Cheap credit may induce a higher demand
both for investment and consumption purposes. More money, through increased flow of
credit, comes into circulation.

A fall in bank rate may, thus, prove an anti-deflationary instrument of control. The
effectiveness of bank rate as an instrument of control is, however, restricted primarily by
the fact that both in inflationary and recessionary conditions, the cost of credit may not
be a very significant factor influencing the investment decisions of the firms.

(ii) Open Market Operations:

Open market operations refer to the sale and purchase of securities by the Central bank
to the commercial banks. A sale of securities by the Central Bank, i.e., the purchase of
securities by the commercial banks, results in a fall in the total cash reserves of the
latter.

A fall in the total cash reserves is leads to a cut in the credit creation power of the
commercial banks. With reduced cash reserves at their command the commercial banks
can only create lower volume of credit. Thus, a sale of securities by the Central Bank
serves as an anti-inflationary measure of control.

Likewise, a purchase of securities by the Central Bank results in more cash flowing to
the commercials banks. With increased cash in their hands, the commercial banks can
create more credit, and make more finance available. Thus, purchase of securities may
work as an anti-deflationary measure of control.

The Reserve Bank of India has frequently resorted to the sale of government securities
to which the commercial banks have been generously contributing. Thus, open market
operations in India have served, on the one hand as an instrument to make available
more budgetary resources and on the other as an instrument to siphon off the excess
liquidity in the system.

(iii) Variable Reserve Ratios:

Variable reserve ratios refer to that proportion of bank deposits that the commercial
banks are required to keep in the form of cash to ensure liquidity for the credit created
by them.

A rise in the cash reserve ratio results in a fall in the value of the deposit multiplier.
Conversely, a fall in the cash reserve ratio leads to a rise in the value of the deposit
multiplier.

A fall in the value of deposit multiplier amounts to a contraction in the availability of

credit, and, thus, it may serve as an anti-inflationary measure.

A rise in the value of deposit multiplier, on the other hand, amounts to the fact that the
commercial banks can create more credit, and make available more finance for
consumption and investment expenditure. A fall in the reserve ratios may, thus, work as
anti-deflationary method of monetary control.

The Reserve Bank of India is empowered to change the reserve requirements of the
commercial banks.

The Reserve Bank employs two types of reserve ratio for this purpose, viz. the Statutory
Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR).

The statutory liquidity ratio refers to that proportion of aggregate deposits which the
commercial banks are required to keep with themselves in a liquid form. The
commercial banks generally make use of this money to purchase the government
securities. Thus, the statutory liquidity ratio, on the one hand is used to siphon off the
excess liquidity of the banking system, and on the other it is used to mobilise revenue for
the government.

The Reserve Bank of India is empowered to raise this ratio up to 40 per cent of
aggregate deposits of commercial banks. Presently, this ratio stands at 25 per cent.

The cash reserve ratio refers to that proportion of the aggregate deposits which the
commercial banks are required to keep with the Reserve Bank of India. Presently, this
ratio stands at 9 percent.
II. Qualitative Method:
The qualitative or selective methods of credit control are adopted by the Central Bank in
its pursuit of economic stabilisation and as part of credit management.

(i) Margin Requirements:

Changes in margin requirements are designed to influence the flow of credit against
specific commodities. The commercial banks generally advance loans to their customers
against some security or securities offered by the borrower and acceptable to banks.

More generally, the commercial banks do not lend up to the full amount of the security
but lend an amount less than its value. The margin requirements against specific
securities are determined by the Central Bank. A change in margin requirements will
influence the flow of credit.

A rise in the margin requirement results in a contraction in the borrowing value of the
security and similarly, a fall in the margin requirement results in expansion in the
borrowing value of the security.

(ii) Credit Rationing:

Rationing of credit is a method by which the Central Bank seeks to limit the maximum
amount of loans and advances and, also in certain cases, fix ceiling for specific
categories of loans and advances.

(iii) Regulation of Consumer Credit:

Regulation of consumer credit is designed to check the flow of credit for consumer
durable goods. This can be done by regulating the total volume of credit that may be
extended for purchasing specific durable goods and regulating the number of
installments through which such loan can be spread. Central Bank uses this method to
restrict or liberalise loan conditions accordingly to stabilise the economy.

(iv) Moral Suasion:

Moral suasion and credit monitoring arrangement are other methods of credit control.
The policy of moral suasion will succeed only if the Central Bank is strong enough to
influence the commercial banks.
In India, from 1949 onwards, the Reserve Bank has been successful in using the method
of moral suasion to bring the commercial banks to fall in line with its policies regarding
credit. Publicity is another method, whereby the Reserve Bank marks direct appeal to
the public and publishes data which will have sobering effect on other banks and the
commercial circles.

Effectiveness of Credit Control Measures:

The effectiveness of credit control measures in an economy depends upon a number of
factors. First, there should exist a well-organised money market. Second, a large
proportion of money in circulation should form part of the organised money market.
Finally, the money and capital markets should be extensive in coverage and elastic in
nature.

Extensiveness enlarges the scope of credit control measures and elasticity lends it
adjustability to the changed conditions. In most of the developed economies a
favourable environment in terms of the factors discussed before exists, in the developing
economies, on the contrary, economic conditions are such as to limit the effectiveness of
the credit control measures.