RBI enforces restrictions on bank, NBFCs for providing loans against gold

28 May 2013 Evaluate

In a move to curb gold demand, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed restrictions on banks and NBFCs for providing loans against gold coins as well as units of gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Mutual Funds (MFs). The central bank in its notification said, ‘while granting advance against the security of specially minted gold coins sold by them, banks should ensure that the weight of the coin does not exceed 50 grams per customer’. 

The RBI has also asked the banks to ensure that the amount of loan to any customer against gold ornaments, gold jewellery and gold coins (weighing up to 50 grams) should be within the board approved limit. The central bank further said that banks cannot give advances against gold ETFs and units of gold MFs. As specially minted gold coins sold by banks may not be in the nature of bullion or primary gold, there would be no objection to the bank granting loans against these coins, it added.

Currently, banks are permitted to grant advances against jewellery, gold ornaments and against specially minted gold coins sold by banks. However, no advances can be granted by banks and NBFCs for purchase of gold in any form, including primary gold, gold bullion, gold jewellery, gold coins, units of gold exchange traded funds and units of gold mutual funds.

To curb the inbound shipments of gold, the government has also taken several steps recently, including raising import duty. The central bank too had put restrictions on banks on gold imports, which has led to forex outflow and widening of the Current Account Deficit (CAD). In April, gold import jumped by 138 percent to $7.5 billion the highest so far this year, pushing up the CAD to $17.7 billion. 

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