A significant announcement is the decision to make the Bank Rate an effective signal and reference rate. The elimination of CRR on liabilities to the banking system was widely expected but RBI went a step further when it eliminated SLR on such liabilities. This has opened the doors for the much needed development of an inter-bank money market. We can now expect the emergence of an indicative interest rate yield curve on the lines of LIBOR. The foreign exchange market will be benefited enormously and a number of habitual lenders would find alternate means of deployment of funds by lending in this market.
A sum of Rs. 4,600 crores is being made available through the General Refinance Facility at rates linked to the Bank rate. This will permit the Bank Rate to emerge as a reference rate in the term money market.
The freeing of interest rates on FCNR deposits is welcome and will give banks desired flexibility. However with the reimposition of CRR on incremental FCNR, NRNR and NRE deposits the RBI is probably signalling that it has enough foreign currency assets and NRI deposits need not be encouraged to the same extent as earlier. With CRR acting as additional cost, banks can be expected to reduce the interest rates being offered on NRI deposits.
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The activation of the repo market will serve as a balancing factor between the money market and the securities market. With this step a long outstanding demand of the banks has been fulfilled. The introduction of T-Bills of varying maturities will facilitate the cash management requirements of different players.
MPBF system for assessing working requirements was in existence for 30 years and the banks will have to be careful in transiting to newer systems. Many banks which do not have the requisite credit assessment skills may choose to continue with the old system. It is now no longer obligatory to form a consortium. Throughout the world the system of loan syndications is popular and we will have to see how prudently banks cope with their new found freedom and what methods of credit delivery become popular.