The Reserve Bank of India today issued the Master Direction on Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating of Financing of Terrorism (CFT). The Master Direction issued today consolidates all relevant instructions issued by different departments of the Reserve Bank so far on the subject and will be applicable to all its regulated entities.

Background

The Reserve Bank of India has started issuing Master Directions on all regulatory matters beginning January 2016 to streamline compliance in pursuance of the decision announced in the Fourth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2015-16 on September 29, 2015. The Master Directions consolidate instructions on rules and regulations framed by the Reserve Bank under various Acts including banking issues and foreign exchange transactions. The process of issuing Master Directions involves issuing one Master Direction for each subject matter covering all instructions on that subject. Any change in the rules, regulation or policy is communicated during the year by way of circulars/press releases. The Master Directions will be updated suitably and simultaneously whenever there is a change in the rules/regulations or there is a change in the policy. Explanations of rules and regulations will be issued by way of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) after issue of the Master Directions in easy to understand language wherever necessary. The existing set of Master Circulars issued on various subjects will stand withdrawn with the issue of the Master Direction on the subject.

Alpana Killawala
Principal Adviser

Press Release : 2015-2016/2014