RBI
/ 2008-2009 /142
DBOD.No.BL.BC. 36 /22.01.009/2008-2009
August
27, 2008
Bhadra 5, 1930 (S)
All Scheduled Commercial banks (including
RRBs) and
Local Area Banks
Dear Sir,
Financial Inclusion
by Extension of Banking Services –
Use of Business Correspondents (BCs)
Please
refer to our circulars DBOD.No.BL.BC.58/22.01.001/2005-2006
dated January 25, 2006, DBOD.
No. BL. BC. 72 / 22.01.009 / 2005-2006 dated March 22, 2006 and DBOD.No.BL.BC.74/
22.01.009/2007-2008 dated April 24, 2008, on the above subject.
2.
On a review of the matter and based on references received from banks, it has
been decided that in case duly appointed BCs of banks desire to appoint sub-agents
at the grass-root level to render the services of a BC, banks have to ensure that
(i) the sub-agents of BCs fulfill all relevant criteria stipulated for BCs in
terms of our extant guidelines referred to in paragraph 1 above (ii) the BC appointed
by them carries out proper due diligence in respect of the sub-agent to take care
of the reputational and other risks involved (iii) the distance criterion of 15
kms. / 5 kms, as applicable, from the base branch should invariably be fulfilled
in the case of all sub-agents.
3. Further, where individuals
under the permitted categories have been appointed as BCs, they cannot in turn
appoint sub-agents.
Yours faithfully,
(P.
Vijaya Bhaskar)
Chief General Manager