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Reserve Bank of India

About Reserve Bank of India

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What is Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the central bank of India whose primary function is to manage and govern the financial system of the country. It is a statutory body established in the year 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. The central bank regulates the issue and supply of the Indian rupee. It also looks after the central government’s money. The central bank plays the role of the bankers’ bank and regulates the banking sector. It also plays an important role in India’s development story by supporting the government in its developmental projects and policies.
 
The head office of the RBI, in Kolkata when the bank was established, was shifted to Mumbai in 1937. Originally, the bank was privately owned. However, after Independence, it was nationalised in 1949 and is now fully owned by the Government of India.
What are the major functions of the RBI?
 
The preamble of the RBI says... "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."
 
Some of the basic functions of the RBI are:
 
1. Issuer of notes: The RBI is the only institution which has the control over printing of currency notes (except the one rupee note, which is printed by the finance ministry).
 
2. Banker to the government: The RBI performs banking functions for the state and central governments. It advises the government on monetary policy issues and also manages the government’s public debt.
 
3. Banker’s bank: The central bank is also known as the banker’s bank because it performs functions similar to what commercial banks do for their customers.
 
4. Credit regulation: The RBI regulates the flow of money in the country’s financial system. It controls inflation in the economy and takes necessary policy decisions from time to time to address systemic concerns.
 
5. Foreign reserves: The central bank buys and sells foreign currencies to keep the foreign exchange rates stable. It takes necessary steps as and when required.
 
6. Role in development of the country: The RBI performs various functions and takes necessary decisions to support developmental agenda of the government.
 
The RBI board
 
The board of the RBI consists of a Governor, not more than four Deputy Governors and other members who are appointed by the central government. Currently, Shaktikanta Das is the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. There are three Deputy Governors — B P Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, and M D Patra.
 

Latest Updates on Reserve Bank of India

Naidu explained that the 1934 Act had undergone 21 amendments, resulting in ambiguities and contradictions, particularly regarding the powers and functions of internal organisations

Updated On: 08 Aug 2024 | 7:19 PM IST

RBI has increased the limit for tax payments through UPI from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per transaction

Updated On: 08 Aug 2024 | 7:12 PM IST

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Updated On: 17 Jul 2024 | 12:15 AM IST

Union Budget 2024: The Delhi Market Association has urged the government to consider measures to lower the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on essential items and on shop rentals

Updated On: 17 Jul 2024 | 2:10 PM IST

OIS rates, often seen as the clearest indication of future policy rate actions, are interest rate derivative products that move as per the expectations of rate trajectory

Updated On: 18 Apr 2023 | 6:13 PM IST

This announcement is in line with the Reserve Bank of India's decision to keep the repo unchanged at 6.5%

Updated On: 10 Apr 2023 | 4:57 PM IST

Risk weight back to pre-pandemic level of 50%

Updated On: 09 Apr 2023 | 11:08 PM IST

In which we munch over the week's platter of news and views

Updated On: 08 Apr 2023 | 9:00 AM IST

A comfortable level of foreign exchange reserves will further bolster macroeconomic stability, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said while announcing the bank's monetary policy decision on Thursday.

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 10:36 PM IST

Japanese brokerage Nomura on Friday said Reserve Bank's 6.5 per cent real GDP growth estimate for FY24 is too optimistic, and the central bank will pivot to rate cuts from October

Updated On: 07 Apr 2023 | 10:37 PM IST

The deposits remaining unclaimed for 10 years in a bank are transferred to the 'Depositor Education and Awareness' (DEA) Fund maintained by RBI

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 11:17 PM IST

Inflation remains significantly above the target

Updated On: 11 Apr 2023 | 4:59 PM IST

FY24 inflation projection cut to 5.2%; growth forecast at 6.5%

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 11:58 PM IST

Inflation expectations over the next three and 12 months declined by 30 basis points each in its March round of surveys, from the January round, the Reserve Bank of India said

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 8:18 PM IST

After six consecutive hikes aggregating 250 bps, RBI hits a pause

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 8:00 PM IST

His comments add to warnings that the troubles at SVB and Credit Suisse are indicative of deeper underlying problems in the financial system

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 7:52 PM IST

The RBI has not used the word stickiness in its policy statement while characterising core inflation, but instead used "unyielding core inflation"

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 10:44 PM IST

The repo rate hike has been paused after six consecutive rate increases aggregating to 250 basis points since May 2022

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 5:47 PM IST

The central bank's surprise decision to hold its key repo rate steady, at 6.5 per cent

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 3:29 PM IST

Sales in the affordable segment (units priced below Rs 40 lakh) dipped between 2019 and 2022 and further in the first quarter of 2023, said Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock

Updated On: 06 Apr 2023 | 11:50 PM IST