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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

The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated that the rupee will open flat-to-slightly-lower from its closing level of 85.77

Updated On: 06 Jan 2025 | 9:00 AM IST

Rural demand, services sector may lift H2 showing

Updated On: 05 Jan 2025 | 11:14 PM IST

Expectedly, urban households display a greater inclination to adapt their investment choices to dynamic economic conditions

Updated On: 05 Jan 2025 | 10:47 PM IST

Policymakers can get export growth for some time through subsidies, whether a production-linked incentive or a falsified exchange rate

Updated On: 05 Jan 2025 | 10:25 PM IST

RBI has given approval to HDFC Bank and its group companies to collectively acquire up to 9.5 per cent of paid-up share capital or voting rights in Kotak Mahindra Bank, AU Small Finance Bank

Updated On: 04 Jan 2025 | 2:44 PM IST

The move is in line with regulatory requirements to reduce its holding in the bank to 10 per cent by 2029, irrespective of the listing of Unity SFB, said sources

Updated On: 03 Jan 2025 | 11:30 PM IST

The branches of The National Co-operative Bank, Bangalore (Karnataka), will function as branches of Cosmos Co-operative Bank Limited (Maharashtra) with effect from January 6, 2025

Updated On: 03 Jan 2025 | 11:22 PM IST

On October 17, the regulator directed four non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) to cease and desist from sanctioning and disbursing loans

Updated On: 03 Jan 2025 | 11:22 PM IST

The representative body for business correspondents has said the current 7-day work week will be unsustainable in the long run, and will result in a more errors of omission

Updated On: 03 Jan 2025 | 2:10 PM IST

Bank stocks today: Jefferies has retained its 'Buy' ratings on Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and SBI, It has upgraded Kotak Bank and downgraded Bank of Baroda

Updated On: 03 Jan 2025 | 10:26 PM IST

The rupee has a lot of catching up to do because its slide has been postponed when compared to its peer currencies and competitors

Updated On: 02 Jan 2025 | 10:24 PM IST

January Bank Holidays 2025: Banks will remain shut for 13 days in January, including certain festivals, important celebrations and national holidays. Check the complete holiday list

Updated On: 02 Jan 2025 | 6:02 PM IST

The higher financing costs are posing a challenge for the RBI to support an economy that's witnessing a slowdown in manufacturing activities

Updated On: 02 Jan 2025 | 3:08 PM IST

The CBIC underlined that, regardless of the type of voucher, transactions involving vouchers themselves will not be construed as the supply of goods or services

Updated On: 01 Jan 2025 | 10:53 PM IST

VFS provides loans to individual female members mainly from rural areas in a joint liability group (JLG) with each group consisting of five members

Updated On: 02 Jan 2025 | 12:03 AM IST

The central bank is facing challenges on the currency front, which has been under pressure in the last few months

Updated On: 01 Jan 2025 | 8:57 PM IST

Retail credit growth also declined to 16.3% due to drop in personal and vehicle loans, and rise in credit card outstanding

Updated On: 02 Jan 2025 | 12:01 AM IST

The bad loan ratio could rise to 5 per cent and 5.3 per cent under two separate high-risk scenarios

Updated On: 31 Dec 2024 | 1:29 PM IST

This facility will allow users to view and verify the name of the beneficiary before initiating a transaction, similar to the existing feature on India's real-time payment systems

Updated On: 30 Dec 2024 | 9:15 PM IST

The survey, conducted in November 2024, included responses from 12 state-owned banks and 19 private sector banks to assess the adoption of emerging technologies

Updated On: 31 Dec 2024 | 12:38 AM IST