Ans: Registered CICs with assets < Rs.500 crore shall follow the asset classification norm as specified in the Non-Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit accepting or holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015 and those with assets >= Rs.500 crore shall follow the asset classification norm applicable to NBFCs with assets > = Rs. 500 crore as specified in the Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit accepting or holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015.

A. The securities held on behalf of and NBFC, in a bank’s Constituents’ SGL Account can be reckoned towards compliance of requirements of Section 45IB. The securities are required to be deposited with one bank branch and at one place only for the purpose of adequate control. Hence, if an NBFC holds securities with its designated bank branch in its Constituents’ SGL Account, it would be necessary for the company to lodge its physical securities also with the same bank branch.

Answer: Investment Vehicle is an entity registered and regulated under relevant regulations framed by SEBI or any other authority designated for the purpose. For the purpose of Schedule 8 of FEMA 20(R), an Investment Vehicle is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) governed by the SEBI (REITs) Regulations, 2014, an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIt) governed by the SEBI (InvIts) Regulations, 2014 and an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) governed by the SEBI (AIFs) Regulations, 2012. It does not include a Venture Capital Fund registered under the erstwhile SEBI (Venture Capital Funds) Regulations, 1996.

All Bank notes including Mahatma Gandhi (New) series notes with writing or colour stains on them continue to be legal tender, provided they are decipherable. Such notes can be deposited or exchanged in any bank branch.

However, a claim in respect of bank notes which carries any extrinsic words or visible representations intended to convey or capable of conveying any message of a political or religious character or furthering the interest of any person or entity will be rejected as per Reserve Bank of India (Note Refund) Rules, 2009 [As amended by Reserve Bank of India (Note Refund) Amendment Rules, 2018].

Ans: Registered CICs with assets < Rs. 500 crore shall maintain standard asset provisioning of 0.25% as specified in the Non-Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit accepting or holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015 and those with assets >= Rs.500 crore shall maintain standard asset provisioning of 0.40% which would be applicable as specified in the Systemically Important Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit accepting or holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2015.

No. Banks are prohibited from making any short sales of shares.

Most of the companies are unitary entities. They function from the place of their Registered Office. Some of the large sized companies as also some others may intend to keep the securities at metropolitan centres for operational advantages. The place where the securities are held could be outside the jurisdiction of the concerned Regional Office of RBI because the jurisdictional areas are decided on the basis of place of location of the Registered Office of the companies. In such cases, it is imperative for the Regional Offices to know the place where the securities are being kept.

A suspected forged note, counterfeit note or fake note is any note which does not possess the characteristics of genuine Indian currency note.

Ans:. Yes. As per the present directions for CICs, they are permitted to make investments in money market instruments, including money market mutual funds. Since Liquid Funds are also mutual funds with the underlying being money market instruments; CICs are permitted to invest their surplus funds in Liquid Fund Schemes also.

The bills covering payment of electricity charges, customs duty, hire purchase/ lease rental installments, sale of securities and other types of financial accommodation should not be discounted by banks.

Answer: Investment made by an Investment Vehicle into an Indian company or an LLP will be indirect foreign investment for the investee company or the LLP, as the case may be, if either the Sponsor or the Manager or the Investment Manager (i) is not owned and not controlled by resident Indian citizens or (ii) is owned or controlled by persons resident outside India.

The NBFCs accepting public deposits shall furnish to RBI Certificate from the Auditors regarding solvency of the company in repayment of the deposits as and when the claims arise; Balance Sheet and the Auditors’ Reports submitted to the Board of Directors as also to the Shareholders of the company; Statutory Annual Return on deposits in the First Schedule; Quarterly Return on liquid assets; Half-yearly Return on prudential norms; and a copy of the Credit Rating once a year alongwith one of the Half-yearly Returns on prudential norms as at (v) above.

Answer: An Alternative Investment Fund (Category III) with foreign investment can make portfolio investment in only those securities or instruments in which an FPI is allowed to invest under the Act, rules or regulations made thereunder.IV. Reporting Delays

A forged note can be identified on the basis of the security features which are present in a genuine Indian currency note. These features are easily identifiable by seeing, touching and tilting the note.

Ans: Yes, company which is a CIC and has achieved the balance sheet size of Rs.100 crore as per its last audited annual financial statement is required to apply to the Bank for registration as a CIC-SI, subject to its meeting the other conditions for being identified as systemically important CIC.

There is no prohibition on banks’ placing of funds with non-banking non-financial companies under their Public Deposit Schemes. However, investment in the Public Deposit Scheme of such companies should be classified by banks as loans/ advances in their balance sheet and returns submitted under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934.

The NBFCs except RNBCs not accepting/holding public deposits are not required to submit to RBI their Statutory Returns in the First Schedule or the Balance Sheet or the Quarterly Liquid Asset Return or the Half-yearly Prudential Norm Return. However, all the NBFCs (other than those exempted - see answer to question No. 1) are required to be Registered with RBI and and also make sure that they continue to be eligible to remain Registered. RBI has powers to cause Inspection of the Books of any company and call for any other information about its business activities. For this purpose, the NBFCs are required to furnish the information in respect of any change in the composition of their Board of Directors, address of the company and its Directors and the name/s of its Auditors.

Answer: For the transactions undertaken on or after November 7, 2017, in case of reporting delays, the person/ entity responsible for filing the reports as provided in Part IV of the Master Direction on Reporting shall be liable for payment of Late Submission Fee (LSF). The payment of LSF is an additional option for regularising reporting delays without undergoing the compounding procedure.

Counterfeiting banknotes/using as genuine, forged or counterfeit banknotes/possession of forged or counterfeit banknote/making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting banknotes/making or using documents resembling banknotes are offences under Sections 489A to 489E of the Indian Penal Code and are punishable in the Courts of Law by fine or imprisonment ranging from seven years to life imprisonment or both, depending on the offence.

The Government of India has framed Investigation of High Quality Counterfeit Indian Currency Offences Rules, 2013 under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. The Third Schedule of the Act defines High Quality Counterfeit Indian Currency Note. Activity of production, smuggling or circulation of High Quality Counterfeit Indian Notes has been brought under the ambit of UAPA, 1967.

Banks can purchase letter of allotment in respect of PSU bonds subject to the following conditions.

1. The transactions (other than interbank transactions) should be undertaken only through recognized Stock Exchanges and registered brokers.

2. While purchasing the bonds, the bank should ensure that it gets a clear title to the security and the security is tradable in the secondary market.

3. The bank should prescribe its internal guidelines with the approval of the Board for undertaking such transaction.

There had been instances when some companies had not paid matured deposits on due dates and such claims have been honoured after some delay. The companies did not pay any interest for the delayed period in the absence of any specific provisions in the Reserve Bank Directions in this regard in the past. A provision has, therefore, been inserted subsequently in the Non-Banking Financial Companies Acceptance of Public Deposits (Reserve Bank) Directions dated 31.1.1998 to the effect that interest is payable to the depositors only in case the company has delayed the repayment of matured deposits, from the date of receipt of such claim by the company or the date of maturity of the deposit whichever is later, till the date of actual payment. If the depositor has lodged his claim after the date of maturity, the company would be liable to pay interest for the period from the date of claim till the date of repayment. In other words, for the period between the date of maturity and the date of claim it is the discretion of the company to pay interest.

Answer: The payment of LSF is an additional facility for regularising reporting delays without undergoing the compounding procedure. However, this does not mean that the applicant cannot apply for compounding. Both options are available to the applicant for the transactions undertaken on or after November 7, 2017.

Mere possession of a forged note does not attract punishment. Possession of any forged or counterfeit banknotes, knowing or having reason to believe the same to be forged or counterfeit and intending to use the same as genuine or that it may be used as genuine, is punishable under Section 489C of Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Shares/ debentures/ bonds accepted by banks as security for loans/ advances should be valued at the prevailing market prices.

In terms of section 45QA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, where an NBFC fails to repay any deposit in accordance with the agreed terms and conditions, the Company Law Board can order the company to make repayment of such deposit forthwith or within such time and subject to such conditions as may be specified in the order. The aggrieved depositor is required to submit an application in the Form prescribed by them together with the requisite fee, to the concerned bench of the Company Law Board mentioned in the Deposit Application Form and seek an Order against the erring company . Apart from above, the depositor can also approach the District/State/National Level Consumers Disputes Redressal Forum for relief against the erring company.

Answer: The reporting requirements are laid down in the Master Direction on Reporting under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.

The Reserve Bank of India has been organizing training sessions on the authentication of banknotes security features for people handling significant amounts of cash like banks/consumer forums/merchant associations/educational institutions/police professionals. Apart from the training sessions, information on security features of banknotes is also available on the Bank’s website.

Yes. Banks can sanction bridge loans to companies for a period not exceeding one year against the expected equity flows/ issues as also the expected proceeds of non-convertible Debentures, External Commercial Borrowings, Global Depository Receipts and/ or funds in the nature of Foreign Direct Investments, provided the bank is satisfied that the borrowing company has made firm arrangements for raising the aforesaid resources/ funds. Bridge loans extended by a bank will be included within the 5% ceiling prescribed for banks’ exposure to capital market.

An NBFC accepts deposits under a mutual contract with its depositors. In case a depositor requests for pre-mature payment, Reserve Bank of India has prescribed Regulations for such an eventuality in the Non-Banking Financial Companies Acceptance of Public Deposits (Reserve Bank) Directions, 1998. However, premature repayment of deposits is the sole discretion of the company concerned. In other words, if the company agrees to pre-pay deposits at the request of the depositor, the depositor and the company are deemed to have mutually agreed to amend the terms of contract. On the above analogy, if a company intends to pre-pay deposits, it can seek the consent of the depositors for such pre-mature repayment and if the depositors agree, a company can do so. It does not involve prior approval of RBI so long as the provisions relating to minimum period regarding repayment of deposits are not violated.

Answer: Foreign investment can be made based on a notification issued under FEMA, 1999.

Coins in India are presently being issued in denominations of 50 paise, one rupee, two rupees, five rupees, ten rupees and twenty rupees. Coins up to 50 paise are called 'small coins' and coins of Rupee one and above are called 'Rupee Coins'. Coins can be issued up to the denomination of ₹1000 under The Coinage Act, 2011.

The loans/ advances granted to individuals against the security of shares, debentures and PSU bonds should not exceed Rs.10 lakhs and Rs.20 lakhs, if the securities are held in physical form and dematerialized form respectively. The maximum amount of finance that can be granted to an individual for subscribing to IPOs is Rs.10 lakhs. However, the bank should not provide finance to companies for their investment in IPOs of other companies. Banks can grant advances to employees for purchasing shares of their own companies under Employees Stock Option Plan (ESOP) to the extent of 90% of purchase price of shares or Rs.20 lakhs whichever is lower. NBFCs should not be provided finance for lending to individuals for subscribing the IPOs. Loans/ advances granted by a bank for subscribing to IPOs should be reckoned as an exposure to capital market.

The concept of `past due’ is applicable to the income from loan and other credit facilities viz. receivables, other dues, etc. However, the lease rentals and hire purchase installments have been allowed to accrue upto 12 months and the concept of `past due’ is not applicable in respect of these assets.

Twenty five (25) paise coins have been withdrawn from circulation with effect from June 30, 2011 and are, therefore, no more legal tender. Coins of denominations below 25 paise were withdrawn from circulation much earlier. All other denominations of coins of various size, theme and design minted by Government of India under The Coinage Act, 2011 and issued by RBI for circulation from time to time, continue to remain legal tender.

A uniform margin of 50% has been stipulated for all advances against shares/ issue of guarantees. Within this 50 percent margin, a minimum cash margin of 25 percent should be maintained in respect of guarantees issued by banks for capital market operation.

1. Each category of quoted investments is to be valued scrip-wise. Category of investment means the different types of securities under each head viz. equity shares, preference shares, debentures, bonds and Government securities. Only quoted investments can be classified as long term or current investments. The long term investments are allowed to be valued as per AS-13 of the ICAI but the current investments are required to be valued at their market price. However, the NBFCs have been permitted under Prudential Norm Directions, the facility of block valuation method for accounting for the investments. The net of depreciation and the appreciation in the value of the current quoted investments, is only required to be charged to the Profit and Loss Account of the current year. The appreciation in the value of current investments in any category cannot be booked as profit. The concept of block valuation is explained below :

Example No. 1

	Name of the scrip	Market value	Book value	Difference (+)/(-)
	A	200	150	(+) 50
	B	210	180	(+) 30
	C	180	240	(-) 60
	D	240	300	(-) 60

Total appreciation Rs. 80/-

Total depreciation Rs. 120/-

Net depreciation Rs. 40/- to be charged to Profit and Loss
	Account as per provisions for Depreciation in investments.

Example No. 2

	Name of the scrip	Market value	Book value	Difference (+)/(-)
	A	150	200	(-) 50
	B	180	210	(-) 30
	C	240	180	(+) 60
	D	300	240	(+) 60

Total appreciation Rs. 120/-

Total depreciation Rs. 80/-

Net appreciation Rs. 40/- to be ignored.

This appreciation in the value of equity shares cannot be adjusted against the depreciation in the value of any other category of securities.

RBI has not prescribed any limit for coin deposits by customers with banks. Banks are free to accept any amount of coins from their customers.

Yes. The profit making banks may make donations during a financial year, aggregating upto one percent of the published profit of the bank for the previous year. However, the contributions/ subscriptions made by banks to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and to professional bodies/ institutions like Indian Banks’ Association, National Institute of Bank Management, Indian Institute of Bankers, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India, during a year will be exempted from the above ceiling. Unutilized amount of the permissible limit of a year should not be carried forward for the next year for the purpose of making donations.

The One Rupee notes issued under the Currency Ordinance, 1940 are legal tender and included in the expression Rupee coin for all the purposes of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Since the rupee coins issued by Government constitute the liabilities of the Government, one rupee Note is also liability of the Government of India.

Yes, loss making banks can make donations upto Rs.5 lakhs only in a financial year.

A. Earning Value :	Average Profit after tax (net of
	dividend on preference shares
	and extra ordinary items ) for
	the last three years		Capitalisation
		X	factor
	Number of equity shares

Hypothetically, the profit after tax for the last three	}	Rs. 100.00 lakhs,
financial years net of dividend on preference shares }		Rs. 120.00 lakhs
and net of extra ordinary items	} &	Rs. 140.00 lakhs
No. of equity shares of the company		10,00,000 shares
The investee company is a predominantly manufacturing
company and the capitalisation factor would be		: 8 per cent
The earning value will be worked out as under :

(100.00+120.00+140.00)		100
	X	---	= Rs.150/-
3 X 10,00,000		8

1. The Prudential Norms have prescribed that the unquoted shares should be valued at break up value. However, an NBFC can also value these shares at fair value, if it so desires.

Break up value and fair value are to be calculated as per the formula given in the Directions. The formula is illustrated as under :

If the paid equity capital of the company is = Rs. 1,00,00,000

The free reserves net of intangible assets

and deferred revenue expenditure = Rs. 3,20,00,000

Number of equity shares = 10,00,000 shares

The break up value will be :	1,00,00,000 + 3,20,00,000	= Rs. 42/-
	10,00,000

If we take the earning value worked out in the previous question, and since we know that the fair value is the mean of the break up value and the earning value, the fair value will be	150+42	= Rs.96/-
	2

In the given case, the company may value its shares at fair value viz, Rs.96/- which is higher than the break up value at Rs.42/- or cost, whichever is lower.

Yes. Different designs of ₹10 coins are currently in circulation. All coins of ₹10 denomination minted from time to time by the Government of India (with/without the Rupee symbol) are legal tender. For more details kindly see our Press Release issued in this regard which is available at the following link www.rbi.org.in>>Issuer of currency>>Press Release>>January 17, 2018. /en/web/rbi/-/press-releases/rbi-reiterates-legal-tender-status-of-%E2%82%B9-10-coins-of-different-designs-42887

Yes, the overseas branches of the banks can make donations abroad, provided the banks do not exceed the prescribed ceiling of one per cent of their published profit of the previous year.

The credit concentration norms are applicable to commercial transactions only. Advance deposits of money as security for performance of some contract between the two parties, like office premises, advance deposits with the Government authorities towards services, etc. are not governed by the credit concentration norms.

The Government of India is responsible for the designing and minting of coins in various denominations.

1. The Board of Directors of the banks should lay down the policy and formulate operational guidelines separately in respect of metropolitan, urban, semi-urban and rural areas covering all areas in respect of acquiring premises on lease/ rental basis for the banks’ use. These guidelines should include also delegation of powers at various levels. The decision in regard to surrendering or shifting of premises other than at rural centers should be taken at the central office level by a committee of senior executives.

2. The Board of Directors of the bank should lay down separate policy for granting of loans to landlords who provide them premises on lease/ rental basis. The rate of interest to be charged on such loans should be fixed as per the lending rate directives issued by RBI with BPLR as the minimum lending rate for the loans above Rs.2 lakhs. The rate of interest may be simple or compound, in accordance with the usual practice of the bank, as applicable to other term loans.

3. Banks should provide a suitable mechanism for redressing the genuine grievances of the landlord expeditiously.

4. The details of negotiated contracts in respect of advances to landlords and rental (including taxes etc. and deposits of Rs.25 lakhs and above) on premises taken on lease/ rental by the public sector banks, should be reported to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as per the extant Government instructions. This requirement will not be applicable to banks in the private sector.

No. The Prudential Norm Return should be certified by the company’s Statutory Auditors only and not by any other Chartered Accountant.

Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has dispensed with the practice of prescribing service charges to be levied by banks for various services rendered by them. With effect from September 1999, the Reserve Bank has granted freedom to banks to prescribe service charges with the approval of respective Board of Directors.

The Government of India decides on the quantity of coins to be minted on the basis of indent received from the Reserve Bank on yearly basis.

The Reserve Bank has instructed the banks to accept coins for transactions and exchange at all their branches. The public can continue to accept these coins as legal tender in all their transactions without any hesitation. A press release in this regard can be accessed at the following link: /en/web/rbi/-/press-releases/public-can-continue-to-accept-all-the-coins-as-legal-tender-rbi-47414

A The RBI regulations are aimed at protecting the depositors' interest indirectly. The Bank also exercises Off-site Surveillance and/or On-site Inspection of NBFCs. The RBI, however, does not guarantee or offer insurance cover to public deposits of NBFCs.

A. The NBFC has been in existence for at least two years. (New NBFCs are not permitted to mobilise public deposits during first two years of existence) The NBFC has a minimum credit rating of A- (CRISIL AND ICRA),BBB(CARE), BBB- (DCR India) if it is an Equipment Leasing/Hire Purchase Company and a minimum rating of A if it is a Loan/Investment Company. The NBFC does not have overdue deposits, except unclaimed deposits, while soliciting fresh deposits. The NBFC is a profit making company. The NBFC has declared that it has complied with the RBI Directions.

For commemorative coins, you may refer to the website of SPMCIL at http://www.spmcil.com or contact SPMCIL.

A This information is required to be printed in the Application Form issued by the company soliciting deposits.

In case of grievance against a specific bank, a complaint may be lodged with the bank branch concerned. If not satisfied with their reply, a complaint may be lodged with Nodal Officers/Principal Nodal Officers at Controlling Office/Head Office of the bank branch, appointed under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, for redressal of complaints. If the complaint is not redressed within one month, a complaint can be made to Banking Ombudsman, under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006. Non-acceptance, without sufficient cause, of coins tendered and charging of commission in respect thereof is a valid ground for lodging complaints against a bank under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2006.The details of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme are available on RBI's website www.rbi.org.in. The name and contact details of the Nodal Officers of the banks are available in their respective official website.

For the complaints not covered under Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, the complainants may approach to Consumer Education and Protection Cell, Reserve Bank of India (at cms.rbi.org.in) of respective region with their grievance about deficiency in customer service by RBI regulated entities.

A Please note that: The NBFCs are allowed to accept public deposits in any form only for periods ranging between 12 months and 60 months. NBFCs cannot offer interest rates higher than the ceiling rate prescribed by RBI from time to time. The present ceiling is 16 per cent per annum. The interest may be paid or compounded at rests not shorter than monthly rests. NBFCs cannot offer gifts/incentives or any other additional benefit to the depositors.

A It should be noted that higher the interest, the higher is the risk. Particularly, the NBFCs offering interest or incentives (which are not permitted under the regulations) should be viewed with caution.

A While making deposits with an NBFC the following aspects should also be borne in mind. Note that all public deposits are unsecured. Insist on a proper deposit receipt which should, besides the name of the depositor/s state the date of deposit, the amount in words and figures, rate of interest payable and the date of maturity. Amounts taken under any other nomenclature may not be treated as public deposits and may not be governed by RBI regulations.

A. The deposit acceptance activities of the class of NBFCs, popularly known as RNBCs, are governed by the provisions of Residuary Non- Banking Companies (Reserve Bank) Directions, 1987. That the functioning of these companies (which are very few in number) is entirely different from those of the NBFCs in terms of method of mobilisation of deposits and requirement of deployment of depositors’ funds. These companies are required to invest not less than 80 per cent of their aggregate deposit liabilities according to the prescribed investment pattern. Only 20 per cent of the deposits or ten times the NOF, whichever is lower, can be deployed in other assets. These companies are characterised by poor NOF and as such they are obliged to invest the entire deposit funds as directed by RBI. Serious action has been taken against the erring RNBCs and more than 200 such companies have so far been prohibited from acceptance of deposits.