2. Introduction
In 1921, three presidency banks (Madras,
Bombay and Bengal) were amalgamated to form
the Imperial Bank of India. It was primarily a
commercial bank but it discharged certain central
banking functions specifically as the banker to
the government.
The Reserve Bank of India was established on
April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of
the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was
initially established in Calcutta but was
permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The
Central Office is where the Governor sits and
where policies are formulated.
3. Introduction
Though originally privately owned, since
nationalization in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully
owned by the Government of India.
The Preamble of the Reserve Bank of India
describes the basic functions of the Reserve
Bank as:
"...to regulate the issue of Bank Notes and
keeping of reserves with a view to securing
monetary stability in India and generally to
operate the currency and credit system of the
country to its advantage."
4. Objectives of RBI
To manage the monetary and credit system of the country.
To stabilizes internal and external value of rupee.
For balanced and systematic development of banking in the
country.
For the development of organized money market in the country.
For proper arrangement of agriculture finance.
For proper arrangement of industrial finance.
For proper management of public debts
To establish monetary relations with other countries of the world
and international financial institutions.
For centralization of cash reserves of commercial banks.
To maintain balance between the demand and supply of
currency.
5. Difference between Commercial
Banks and RBI:
Commercial banks prime goal is profit
maximization whereas RBI’s objective is
economic development with stability.
Commercial banks are directly involved with the
public i.e. depositors and borrowers. RBI is
directly related to the commercial banks of the
country.
Commercial banks are many in a country. RBI is
only one in the country.
A commercial bank has many branches spread
throughout the country and even aboard. RBI
does not have branches, though it has a few
offices at important metropolitan cities.
6. Difference between Commercial
Banks and RBI:
A commercial bank can collect savings from the
general public in the form of various types of
deposits and lend most of them to investors with
a view of making profit. They are thus ‘financial
intermediaries’ between savers and investors.
RBI is not allowed to accept deposits from the
public.
RBI supervises and controls the activities of
commercial banks in the overall interest of the
country at large. The commercial banks are
subjected to rules and regulations prescribed by
RBI from time to time.
RBI is the banker to the government and also a
financial advisor. The commercial banks do not
7. Organization
Central Board
The Reserve Bank affairs are governed by a
central board of directors. The board is appointed
by the Government of India in keeping with the
Reserve Bank of India Act.
Appointed/nominated for a period of four years
Constitution:
Official Directors
Full-time : Governor and not more than four Deputy Governors
Non-Official Directors
Nominated by Government: Ten Directors from various fields
and two government Officials
Others: four Directors - One each from four local boards
8. Official Directors
Dr. Raghuram Rajan
Governor
Shri Harun R. Khan
Deputy Governor
Dr. Urjit R. Patel
Deputy Governor
Shri R. Gandhi
Deputy Governor
Shri S. S. Mundra
Deputy Governor
9. Organization
Local Boards
One each for the four regions of the country in
Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and New Delhi
Membership:
Consist of five members each
Appointed by the Central Government
For a term of four years
Functions : To advise the Central Board on local
matters and to represent territorial and economic
interests of local cooperative and indigenous
banks; to perform such other functions as
delegated by Central Board from time to time.
10. Functions of the Central Bank in
India:
1. Traditional Functions:
A. Issuer of currency notes
B. Banker and Debt Manager To
Government
C. Banker to Banks
D. Credit control
2. Promotional Functions:
3. Supervisory Functions:
11. 1. Issuer of currency:
The RBI has monopoly of issuing currency notes
except one rupee note and coins of smaller
denomination. Currently it is in denominations of Rs.
5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000.
It issues these notes against the security of gold
bar, foreign securities, exchange bills and
promissory notes and Government of India bonds.
The RBI has powers not only to issue and withdraw
but even to exchange these currency notes for other
denominations.
RBI has special issue department.
Bank notes are printed at four notes presses at
Nasik, Dewas, Mysore and Salboni.
This is done to give the public adequate quantity of
supplies of currency notes and coins and in good
quality.
12. 2. Banker to the Government:
The RBI being the apex monitory body has to
work as an agent of the central and state
governments.
It performs various banking function such as
to accept deposits, taxes and make payments
on behalf of the government.
It works as a representative of the
government even at the international level. It
maintains government accounts, provides
financial advice to the government.
It manages government public debts and
maintains foreign exchange reserves on
behalf of the government. It provides overdraft
facility to the government when it faces
financial crunch.
13. 3. Banker’s Bank:
The RBI being an apex monitory institution has
obligatory powers to guide, help and direct other
commercial banks in the country.
Every commercial bank has to maintain a part of their
reserves with the RBI. 4% of their total deposits (both
demand and time deposits) as cash reserves.
Besides this every bank is required to maintain 21.5%
of its total deposits as SLR and must submit weekly
statements of their transactions to RBI. The RBI
controls the credit created by commercial banks by
varying the proportion of reserves.
It facilitates the clearing & rediscounting of
promissory notes, bills of exchange and cheques and
also helps in inter bank transfer of funds.
Similarly in need or in urgency these banks approach
the RBI for funds. Thus it is called as the lender of the
last resort.
14. 4. Credit Control:
The RBI controls the credit creation by commercial
banks. For this, the RBI uses both quantitative and
qualitative methods.
By controlling credit, the RBI achieves the following:
Maintains the desired level of circulation of money
in the economy.
Maintains the stability in the price level prevailing in
the economy.
Controls the effects of trade cycles.
Controls the fluctuations in the foreign exchange
rate.
Channelizes credit to the productive sectors of the
economy.
15. Promotional Functions:
Along with the routine traditional functions, central banks
especially in the developing country like India have to perform
numerous functions. These functions are country specific functions
and can change according to the requirements of that country.
Development of the Financial System : The financial system
comprises the financial institutions, financial markets and financial
instruments. The sound and efficient financial system is a
precondition of the rapid economic development of the nation. The
RBI has encouraged establishment of main banking and non-
banking institutions to cater to the credit requirements of diverse
sectors of the economy.
Development of Agriculture : In an agrarian economy like ours,
the RBI has to provide special attention for the credit need of
agriculture and allied activities. It has successfully rendered service
in this direction by increasing the flow of credit to this sector.
16. Promotional Functions:
Provision of Industrial Finance : In this regard the RBI has always
been instrumental in setting up special financial institutions such as
ICICI Ltd. IDBI, SIDBI and EXIM BANK etc for the adequate and
timely availability of credit to small, medium and large industry is very
significant.
Collection of Data : Being the apex monetary authority of the country,
the RBI collects process and disseminates statistical data on several
topics..This data proves to be quite useful for researchers and policy
makers.
Publication of the Reports : This RBI collects and publishes data on
several sectors of the economy. The reports and bulletins are regularly
published by the RBI. It includes RBI weekly reports, RBI Annual
Report This information is made available to the public also at cheaper
rates.
Promotion of Banking Habits : As an apex organization, the RBI
always tries to promote the banking habits in the country. It
institutionalizes savings and takes measures for an expansion of the
banking network.
17. Supervisory Functions:
The reserve bank also performs many supervisory functions. It has
authority to regulate and administer the entire banking and financial
system. Some of its supervisory functions are given below.
Granting license to banks : The RBI grants license to banks for
carrying its business. License is also given for opening extension
counters, new branches, even to close down existing branches.
Bank Inspection : The RBI grants license to banks working as per the
directives and in a prudent manner without undue risk. In addition to
this it can ask for periodical information from banks on various
components of assets and liabilities.
Control over NBFIs : The Non-Bank Financial Institutions are not
influenced by the working of a monitory policy. However RBI has a
right to issue directives to the NBFIs from time to time regarding their
functioning. Through periodic inspection, it can control the NBFIs.
18. Limitations of the working of
RBI
1. Lack of a well organized and well integrated money
market.
2. Stability in the internal and external value of the rupee
has not been maintained.
3. The Reserve Bank of India is not as yet a Completely
Autonomous Institution.
4. The unorganized money market of India is still out of the
control of RBI
