RBI cautions public on writing on watermark of banknotes

INSCRIBING ON BANK NOTES – RBI's ADVISORY THEREON

PRESS RELEASE : 2015-2016/152, DATED 16-7-2015

It has been brought to the notice of Reserve Bank of India that members of public and institutions write number, name or messages, etc. on the watermark window of banknotes, thus defacing the banknotes. The watermark window has an important security feature which distinguishes it from a counterfeit note. Any defacement on the window will not allow the common man to identify one of the features of a genuine note. The public is, therefore, requested to refrain from doing anything that leads to defacement.

'Liberalised Remittance Scheme' : FAQ for Indian Traveller

RBI issues FAQs on Forex facilities and 'Liberalised Remittance Scheme' for residents

July 11, 2015

Are you planning to travel abroad and you are not sure how much foreign exchange can you buy when travelling on private visits to country outside India? You are not sure as how much foreign currency can be carried in cash for travelling abroad? You want to know how much Indian currency can be brought in while coming into India?

Now RBI has released FAQs in respect of Forex facilities including Liberalized Remittance Scheme for general guidance and to answer these type of queries. Certain FAQs are highlighted as under:

Q. How much foreign exchange can one buy when traveling abroad on private visits to a country outside India?

For private visits abroad, other than to Nepal and Bhutan, any resident can obtain foreign exchange upto an aggregate amount of USD 2,50,000, from an Authorised Dealer or Full-Fledged Money Changers (FFMCs), in any one financial year, irrespective of the number of visits undertaken during the year.

This limit has been subsumed under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme w.e.f. May 26, 2015. If an individual has already remitted any amount under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme in a financial year, then the applicable limit for travelling purpose for such individual would be reduced from USD 250,000 by the amount so remitted.


Q. How much foreign currency can be carried in cash for travel abroad?
i. For travelers proceeding to Iraq and Libya, the limit is upto USD 5000

ii. For travelers proceeding to Islamic republic, the limit is upto USD 25000

iii. For travellers proceeding for Haj/Umrah pilgrimage, the limit of forex is full amount of Basic Travel Quota entitlement (USD 250, 000) in cash as specified by the Haj Committee of India

iv. In case of travel to all countries other than above, the limit is upto USD 3000 in currency/coins and balance in form of travellers cheque or banker’s draft.

Q. How much Indian currency can be brought in while coming into India?

i. If returning from Nepal/Bhutan, the limit of Indian currency which can be brought into is upto USD 25,000 in Denomination not exceeding of Rs. 100

ii. Any person resident in India who had gone to Pakistan and/or Bangladesh on a temporary visit, may bring into India at the time of his return, currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs. 10,000 per person

iii. Any person resident outside India, not being a citizen of Pakistan and Bangladesh and also not a traveller coming from and going to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and visiting India may bring into India currency notes of Government of India and Reserve Bank of India notes up to an amount not exceeding Rs. 25,000 while entering only through an airport.

Q. What is the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) of USD 2,50,000 ?

Under the LRS, all resident individuals, including minors, are allowed to freely remit upto USD 2,50,000 in financial year for any permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both.

Further, resident individuals can avail of foreign exchange facility for the purposes mentioned in Para 1 of Schedule III of FEM (CAT) Amendment Rules 2015, within the limit of USD 2,50,000 only. If an individual has remitted any amount under LRS in a financial year, then the applicable limit for such individual would be reduced from USD 250,000 by the amount so remitted. In case of remitter being a minor, the LRS declaration form must be countersigned by the minor’s natural guardian.

No penalty if credit card dues are paid within 3 days from the due date: RBI

 RESERVE BANK OF INDIA _________________ www.rbi.org.in

 RBI/2015-16/126 

DBR.No.BP.BC.30/21.04.048/2015-16

July 16, 2015 

All Scheduled Commercial Banks/Non-Banking Financial Companies/Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks 

Dear Sir, 

Prudential Norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to Advances – Credit Card Accounts 

1.Please refer to circular DBOD.No.BP.BC.78/21.04.048/2013-14 dated December 20, 2013 on the captioned subject.

 2. In order to bring in greater credit discipline as also to provide operational flexibility to credit card issuers, it has been decided that, with effect from the date of this circular, ‘past due’ status of a credit card account for the purpose of asset classification would be reckoned from the payment due date mentioned in the monthly credit card statement. Consequently, in case of banks, a credit card account will be treated as non-performing asset if the minimum amount due, as mentioned in the statement, is not paid fully within 90 days from the payment due date mentioned in the statement.

 3. However, banks shall report a credit card account as ‘past due’ to credit information companies (CICs) or levy penal charges, viz. late payment charges, etc., if any, only when a credit card account remains ‘past due’ for more than three days. The number of ‘days past due’ and late payment charges shall, however, be computed from the payment due date mentioned in the credit card statement. Yours faithfully,

 (Sudarshan Sen) 

Chief General Manager-in-Charge

Tips to Secure Bank Account

>> Exercise caution when receiving unsolicited, unexpected, or suspicious emails

>> Keep anti-virus software and operating systems up to date

>> Enable advanced account security features, like two-step verification of credentials, if available

>> Create strong passwords for all your accounts

>> Enable account login notifications, if available

>> Always log out of your online banking session when finished

>> Monitor bank statements regularly for suspicious activity

>> Notify your financial institution of any strange behaviour you notice while using their service 

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana

What is Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana?

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is a government-led accident insurance schemes that aims to provide accident insurance to all Indians in the unfortunate event death or permanent disability on account of an accident. This scheme is applicable for Indians under the organized as well as unorganized sector of labour. The scheme is linked to various public sector banks and units and major private banks also who have agreed to collaborate.

In a country like ours, where insurance percentage is even below the world average of 6.3%, schemes like the PMSBY are a great push towards insuring a huge chunk of population. Some of the main distinguishing features that set it apart from other such government-run insurance schemes are –

Extremely low premium payment

Higher coverage of up to Rs.2 Lacs

First time when social-security schemes have been linked with bank accounts to help unorganized sector be a part of the scheme and to foster deeper penetration across the country 

Higher inclusivity; both unorganized and organized sector people can avail this policy

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What are the Salient features of Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana ?

How to Secure Old age in India ?

Introduction

After successful launch of Jan Dhan Yojana, Prime Minister Modi had last week launched the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana’, ‘Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana’ and the ‘Atal Pension Yojana’ in Kolkata; another step forward to secure more population under their financial inclusion programme.

Objective of schemes

Best Investment : Public Provident Fund

PPF is money that will be yours forever.

Knowledge of the different features of the PPF account will help you when you want to take a loan against the account, withdraw from the account, re-activate a discontinued account etc.

Here an attempt is made to introduce you all features of PPF.

What is PPF?

Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a scheme of the Central Government, framed under the PPF Act of 1968. Briefly, PPF is a government backed, long-term small savings scheme which was initially started by the Government in order to provide retirement security to self-employed individuals and workers in the unorganized sector. Today the PPF is the Indian citizens’ darling investment avenue.

GOLDEN RULES FOR INVESTING WHEN INTEREST RATES ARE LOW

GOLDEN RULES FOR INVESTING WHEN INTEREST RATES ARE LOW

■ 1. Paying off debt may be your best investment, and low interest rates help you pay off loans faster.

■ 2. Know your tolerance to risk. “If you’re moving out of bank deposits you are taking on more risk,” 

■ 3. Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money across different types of assets to reduce your overall risk.

Learn How to create Wealth

 The gift of creating wealth:

To become really good at handling money and getting out of debt and getting on the road to becoming wealthy, read one or more of favorite financial books :

“I Will Teach You To Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi: This book is hugely popular with millennials and anyone who wants to learn more about personal finance without the boring parts. Sethi’s easy-to read and approachable style includes chapters like how to “Open high interest, low hassle accounts and negotiate like an Indian,” or “How to save hundreds per month (and still buy what you love.)”

“The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko: This book is a great guide to the habits that build wealth. Based on the principal that wealthy people didn’t become wealthy by acting that way, Stanley and Danko lay out the seven simple rules to follow to become wealthy.

It’s a must read for anyone just starting out and earning his first real paycheck because it teaches the basics of personal finance and helps the reader to develop good money habits right from the start.

“You’re So Money: Live Rich Even When You’re Not” by Farnoosh Torabi: Weaning off benevolent benefactors (parents, that’ you) and learning to live on an entry-level income, may come as a big shock to your grad’s preferred lifestyle. But if your graduate doesn’t learn to live within his means, especially when just starting out, he may quickly rack up even more debt on those new credit cards.

Torabi, a savvy financial reporter and 20-something herself, gives grads sensible advice to help them successfully adjust to their new disposable income level, and still enjoy some of the finer things in life.

“Why Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By” by Cary Siegal: The author originally wrote this book to pass on good money management skills to his five children. Since most high schools and colleges do not teach students even the basics of money management, this book features eight important lessons focusing on 99 principles that will quickly and memorably enhance any individual’s money management acumen. I like this book because it’s easy to understand and the principles are ready to use.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) 

1. Introduction

1.1 The Government of India is extremely concerned about the old age income security of the working poor and is focused on encouraging and enabling them to join the National Pension System (NPS). To address the longevity risks among the workers in unorganised sector and to encourage the workers in unorganised sector to voluntarily save for their retirement, who constitute 88% of the total labour force of 47.29 crore as per the 66th Round of NSSO Survey of 2011-12, but do not have any formal pension provision, the Government had started the Swavalamban Scheme in 2010-11. However, coverage under Swavalamban Scheme is inadequate mainly due to lack of guaranteed pension benefits at the age of 60.

1.2 The Government announced the introduction of universal social security schemes in the Insurance and Pension sectors for all Indians, specially the poor and the under-privileged, in the Budget for the year 2015-16. Therefore, it has been announced that the Government will launch the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), which will provide a defined pension, depending on the contribution, and its period. The APY will be focussed on all citizens in the unorganised sector, who join the National Pension System (NPS) administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Under the APY, the subscribers would receive the fixed minimum pension of Rs. 1000 per month, Rs. 2000 per month, Rs. 3000 per month, Rs. 4000 per month, Rs. 5000 per month, at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions, which itself would be based on the age of joining the APY. The minimum age of joining APY is 18 years and maximum age is 40 years. Therefore, minimum period of contribution by any subscriber under APY would be 20 years or more.  The benefit of fixed minimum pension would be guaranteed by the Government. The APY would be introduced from 1^st June, 2015.

2. Benefit of APY