Hello and welcome to exampundit. Today we are sharing the important Acts related to RBI – Reserve Bank of India and financial sector of India.
Important Acts related to RBI & Banks
1. Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 is the legislative act under which the Reserve Bank of India was formed. This act along with the Companies Act, which was amended in 1936, were meant to provide a framework for the supervision of banking firms in India.
2. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES ACT 2006
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to Government securities and its management by the Reserve Bank of India and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
3. Banking Regulation Act, 1949
The Banking Regulation Act, 1949 is a legislation in India that regulates all banking firms in India. Initially, the law was applicable only to banking companies. But, 1965 it was amended to make it applicable to cooperative banks and to introduce other changes.
4. Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999
The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) is an Act of the Parliament of India “to consolidate and amend the law relating to foreign exchange with the objective of facilitating external trade and payments and for promoting the orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange market in India”. It was passed in the winter session of Parliament in 1999, replacing the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA).
5. Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to prevent money-laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money-laundering. PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force with effect from July 1, 2005. The Act and Rules notified there under impose obligation on banking companies, financial institutions and intermediaries to verify identity of clients, maintain records and furnish information in prescribed form to Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND).
Money-laundering: Whosoever directly or indirectly attempts to indulge or assist other person or actually involved in any activity connected with the proceeds of crime and projecting it as untainted property.
6. Companies Act 2013
The Companies Act 2013 is an Act of the Parliament of India which regulates incorporation of a company, responsibilities of a company, directors, dissolution of a company.
New Concepts:
- One Person Company is a company with only one person as a member.
- Woman Director: Every Listed Company /Public Company with paid up capital of Rs 100 Crores or more / Public Company with turnover of Rs 300 Crores or more shall have at least one Woman Director.
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Clause (135) Every company having net worth of rupees five hundred crore or more, or turnover of rupees one thousand crore or more or a net profit of rupees five crore or more during any financial year shall constitute a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the Board consisting of three or more directors, out of which at least one director shall be an independent director.
- Dormant Company: Where a company is formed and registered under this Act for a future project or to hold an asset or intellectual property and has no significant accounting transaction, such a company or an inactive company may make an application to the Registrar for obtaining the status of a dormant company.
7. Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement
of Security Interest Act, 2002
The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (also known as the Sarfaesi Act) is an Indian law .It allows banks and other financial institution to auction residential or commercial properties to recover loans.
The first asset reconstruction company (ARC) of India, ARCIL, was set up under this act. The law does not apply to unsecured loans, loans below Rs. 100,000 or where remaining debt is below 20% of the original principal. This law allowed the creation of asset reconstruction companies (ARC) and allowed banks to sell their non-performing assets to ARCs. Banks are allowed to take possession of the collateral property and sell it without the permission of a court.
8. Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
The PSS Act, 2007 provides for the regulation and supervision of payment systems in India and designates the Reserve Bank of India (Reserve Bank) as the authority for that purpose and all related matters. The Reserve Bank is authorized under the Act to constitute a Committee of its Central Board known as the Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS), to exercise its powers and perform its functions and discharge its duties under this statute. The Act also provides the legal basis for “netting” and “settlement finality”. This is of great importance, as in India, other than the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system all other payment systems function on a net settlement basis.
9. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
An Act to define and Law relating to negotiable instruments which are Promissory Notes, Bills of Exchange and cheques. Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is an act in India dating from the British colonial rule, that is still in force largely unchanged.
10. State Bank of India Act, 1955
To constitute a State Bank for India, to transfer to it the undertaking of the Imperial Bank of India and to provide for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
11. The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961
The functions of the DICGC are governed by the provisions of ‘The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961’ (DICGC Act) and ‘The Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation General Regulations, 1961’ framed by the Reserve Bank of India in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of Section 50 of the said Act.
The preamble of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation Act, 1961 states that it is an Act to provide for the establishment of a Corporation for the purpose of insurance of deposits and guaranteeing of credit facilities and for other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
12. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981
An Act to establish a development bank to be known as the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for providing and regulating credit and other facilities for the promotion and development of agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts and other allied economic activities in rural areas with a view to promoting integrated rural development and securing prosperity of rural areas and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
13. Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976
Regional Rural Banks were established under the provisions of an Ordinance passed on September 1975 and the RRB Act. 1976 to provide sufficient banking and credit facility for agriculture and other rural sectors. These were set up on the recommendations of The M. Narasimham Working during the tenure of Indira Gandhi’s government with a view to include rural areas into economic mainstream since that time about 70% of the Indian Population was of Rural Orientation.
15. National Housing Bank Act, 1987
An Act to establish a bank to be known as the National Housing bank to operate as a principal agency to promote housing finance institutions both at local and regional levels and to provide financial and other support to such institutions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
16. Indian Coinage Act, 2011
The Coinage Act, 2011 is an Act that consolidates laws regarding coinage and the Mints. It was enacted for protection of coinage and to prohibit the melting or destruction of coins and also to prohibit the making or possession for issue. This Act extends to the whole of India. It has 6 chapters and 28 sections. It came into force on 1st September, 2011.
17. The Industrial Development Bank (Transfer Of Undertaking And Repeal)
Act, 2003
An Act to provide for the transfer and vesting of the undertaking of the Industrial Development Bank of India to, and in, the Company to be formed and registered as a Company under the Companies Act, 1956 to carry on banking business and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto and also to repeal the Industrial Development Bank of India Act, 1964.
18. Credit Information Companies Act, 2005
The Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (“CIC Act”), is a legislation enacted by the Government of India to regulate the actions of credit information companies in India (“CIC’s”) in India and to facilitate efficient distribution of credit as well as for matters connected to the same. It is a complex piece of legislation and contains numerous provisions not contained on this page.
Regards
Team ExamPundit