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 Kolkata but
was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The Central Office is where the Governor
sits and where policies are formulated.
Though originally privately owned, since nationalisation 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; to have a modern monetary policy framework to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex economy, to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth."
The Reserve Bank's 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.
Functions : General superintendence and direction of the Bank's affairs
- Constituted for Western Area, Eastern Area, Northern Area and Southern Area.
- Consist of five members each.
- Members appointed by the Central Government.
- Member shall hold office 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.
Sitting Fees and Halting Allowance paid to the Directors of the Central Board, Members of the Local Board and Directors attending CCB meetings |
Sr. No. |
Type of the Meetings |
Sitting Fees per meeting (in INR) |
Halting allowance per diem (in INR) |
1. |
Central Board |
60,000 |
3,750 |
2. |
Local Board |
60,000 |
3,750 |
3. |
Committee of the Central Board (CCB) |
30,000 |
3,750 |
Note: In addition, the travel and stay expenses towards attending Board/Committee/ Sub-Committee meetings are also borne by the Reserve Bank of India. |
The Board for Financial Supervision (BFS) was constituted in November 1994 as a committee of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India under the Reserve Bank of India (Board for Financial Supervision) Regulations, 1994.
The BFS was set up to strengthen supervision and surveillance over the financial system and providing sharper focus to supervisory policy and skills.
The BFS exercises integrated supervision over commercial banks, financial institutions and non-banking financial intermediaries. The Department of Supervision assists and provides secretarial support to BFS.
I. Acts administered by Reserve Bank of India
- Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
- Public Debt Act, 1944/Government Securities Act, 2006
- Government Securities Regulations, 2007
- Banking Regulation Act, 1949
- Foreign Exchange
Management Act, 1999
- Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security
Interest Act, 2002 (Chapter II)
- Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005
- Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
- Factoring Regulation Act, 2011
II. Other relevant Acts
- Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
- Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891
- State Bank of India Act, 1955
- Companies Act, 1956/ Companies Act, 2013
- Securities Contract (Regulation) Act, 1956
- State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959
- Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961
- Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970
- Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976
- Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981
- National Housing Bank Act, 1987
- Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993
- Competition Act, 2002
- Indian Coinage Act, 2011 : Governs currency and coins
- Banking Secrecy Act
- The Industrial Development Bank (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Act, 2003
- The Industrial Finance Corporation (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Act, 1993
Monetary Authority:
- Formulates, implements and monitors the monetary policy.
- Objective: maintaining price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth.
Regulator and supervisor of the financial system:
- Prescribes broad parameters of banking operations within which the country's banking
and financial system functions.
- Objective: maintain public confidence
in the system, protect depositors' interest and provide cost-effective banking services
to the public.
Manager of Foreign Exchange
- Manages the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.
- Objective: to facilitate external trade and payment and promote orderly development
and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India.
Issuer of currency:
- Issues, exchanges and destroys currency notes as well as puts into circulation coins minted by Government of India.
- Objective: to give the public adequate quantity of supplies of currency notes and
coins and in good quality.
Developmental role
- Performs a wide range of promotional functions to support national objectives.
Regulator and Supervisor of Payment and Settlement Systems:
- Introduces and upgrades safe and efficient modes of payment systems in the country to meet the requirements of the public at large.
- Objective: maintain public confidence in payment and settlement system
Related Functions
- Banker to the Government: performs merchant banking function for the central and
the state governments; also acts as their banker.
- Banker to banks: maintains banking accounts of all scheduled banks.
- The Reserve Bank of India has offices at 33 locations.
Has five training establishments
- Four, namely, RBI Academy, College of Agricultural Banking, Reserve Bank of India Staff College and College of Supervisors
are part of the Reserve Bank.
- Other autonomous, such as, Institute for Development and Research
in Banking Technology (IDRBT)
For details on training establishments, please check their websites links for which
are available in Other Links.
Sl.No. |
Institutes |
Description |
1 |
Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL) |
Fully funded by RBI |
2 |
Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR) |
Fully funded by RBI |
3 |
Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM) |
RBI is a sponsor bank along with other banks and Financial Institutions. |
4 |
National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM) |
RBI is an ordinary member along with other banks and Financial Institutions. |
Fully owned: Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
Corporation of India (DICGC), Bharatiya
Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), Reserve Bank Information Technology Private Limited (ReBIT), Indian Financial Technology and Allied Services (IFTAS), Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH).
|