UNIT - I

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Introduction
In its simple meaning a financial institution is an institution that provides financial
services. Financial services refer to the activity of transfer of financial resources from the
savers or investors to the users or borrowers. Thus, essentially financial institutions are
the intermediaries between the savers and borrowers of the money. More specifically,
the term “financial institutions” refers to all kinds of organizations which intermediate
and facilitate financial transactions of both individual and corporate customers.

Functions of financial institutions

1. Financial institutions mobilize the savings of the public
2. They provide credit facility to the needy persons
3. They render various other financial services like transfer of funds from one place to
another, payment mechanism, etc.,

Benefits of Financial Institutions

1. Financial institutions enable transferring of funds from investors to corporate
customers and other business entrepreneurs
2. They facilitate the flow of money from one corner of the country to another corner
3. They enable achievement of economy of large scale operations by providing funds for
large scale business activities
4. They reduce the cost of transaction by increasing the number of transactions
5. They reduce the risk of loss of capital through diversification of funds to different
industries

Classification of Financial Institutions / Types of Financial Institutions

Basically there are three types of financial institutions, viz., (a) Banking Institutions
(b)Non Banking Financial Institutions and (c) Mutual Funds

Banking Institutions
According to the Banking Regulations Act, a banking institution is an institution that does
the business of banking. The term banking business is defined as the accepting of deposits
of money from the public for the purpose of lending or investment and repayable on
demand. A banking institution mobilizes the savings of the public through accepting of
deposits of money and lends the same to the individual and corporate customers to meet
their short term, medium term and long term financial requirements and invests the
surplus amount in various securities or financial instruments in the financial market.
Types of Banking Institutions
On the basis of the functions performed by the banking institutions, they are classified
into the following types:
a) Commercial Banks
b) Investment Banks / Industrial Banks
c) Exchange Banks
d) Co-operative Banks
e) Land Development Banks
f) Regional Rural Banks
g) Savings Banks
h) Central Bank

Commercial banks
The banks which engage in the activity of providing finance to various commercial
establishments for meeting their working capital requirements are called as commercial
banks. The term “working capital requirement” refers to the funds required for meeting
the day to day activities like buying of raw materials, payment of salaries, etc. These banks
raise the required funds in the form various kinds of deposits from the public and lend
short term and medium term loans to traders and business persons mainly for meeting
working capital requirements. The commercial banks are classified into two types viz.,
scheduled banks and non-scheduled banks.

Scheduled Banks - The banks which are registered in the second schedule of the RBI are
called as scheduled banks. In order to be registered under the second schedule of the RBI,
the following conditions should be fulfilled:
1. The bank must be carrying the business of banking in India
2. The bank must have a paid up capital and reserve of an aggregate value of not less than
Rs. 5 lakhs and
3. The bank must satisfy the RBI that its affairs are not being conducted in a manner
detrimental to the interests of the depositor.

Non-scheduled Banks – The banks which are not registered in the second schedule of
the RBI are called as non-scheduled banks.
Benefits enjoyed by scheduled banks
The scheduled banks come under the direct purview of the credit control measures of the
RBI and are entitled to borrowings and rediscounting facilities. Non-scheduled banks are
not entitled to such benefits.
Industrial Banks / Investment Banks
The banks which engage in the activity of providing finance to industrialists for meeting
their fixed capital requirements are called as industrial banks. The term “fixed capital
requirement” refers to the funds required for purchasing fixed assets like Land, Building,
Plant, Machinery, Furniture, etc. These banks raise the required funds in the form of issue
of shares, debentures and bonds to the public and various financial institutions and lend
medium term and long term loans to industrialists & big businessmen mainly for meeting
their fixed capital requirements.

Exchange Banks
The banks which engage in foreign exchange business are called as exchange banks. The
term “foreign exchange business” refers to the business of converting domestic currency
into foreign currency and viceversa. These banks convert foreign currency into Indian
currency and Indian currency into foreign currency and play a significant role in import
and export activities.

Co-operative Banks
The banks which are formed on the principle of mutual co-operation to meet the needs
of its members are called as co-operative banks. They are formed by small group of
individuals belonging to same or similar kind of activities like farming, retailing, small
scale industry, etc. These banks raise the required funds in the form of various kinds of
deposits from the members and the public. They lend short term and medium-term loans
to members and other traders, business persons and agriculturists mainly for meeting
working capital requirements at generally low rate of interest and play a significant role
in financing agricultural and allied activities in India.

Land Development Banks

The banks which are formed by the agriculturists on the principle of mutual co operation
to meet the long term needs of agriculturists are called as land development banks. These
banks raise the required funds by the issue of shares and debentures, bonds, etc., mainly
to the specific group of persons and other financial institutions. They provide short term
and medium term loans to members and other agriculturists mainly for procuring tools
and equipments needed and also to make permanent improvement of the land and for
allied activities like cattle farming, etc., at generally low rate of interest and play a
significant role in financing agricultural and allied activities in India. These banks are
now-adays called as Agriculture and Rural Development Banks.

Regional Rural Banks

The banks which are formed to mobilize the savings of the rural people and fulfill the
credit needs of the relatively less served or not served sections of the societies in rural
areas are called as Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). They are the banks that were set up as
government sponsored regional based rural banking institutions under the Regional
Rural Banks Act, 1976. The shareholding pattern of these banks is 50 : 35 : 15 among
central government, sponsoring bank and state government respectively. They were
configured as hybrid micro banking institutions, combining the local orientation and
small scale lending culture of the cooperatives and the business culture of commercial
banks. Small farmers, agricultural labourers and socio-economically weaker sections of
the society are the main customers of these banks.

Savings Banks
The banks which are formed to mobilize savings of the poor and middle income people
of the society are called as savings banks. The primary objective of these banks is to
promote the habit of thrift and savings among the people with small incomes. The money
saved in these banks is permitted to be withdrawn by the depositors in time of need.
However, there are certain restrictions on the number and the amount of withdrawal to
be made in a particular period. In India, the central government runs savings bank
through the postal department. Almost all of the commercial banks also do the function
of savings bank and encourage people to open savings account with them. Generally,
these banks do not engage in the activity of lending money to the public.

Central Bank
The bank formed for supervising, controlling and regulating the activities of both banking
and other non-banking financial institutions is called as central bank. Generally, every
country will have only one central bank. In India, Reserve Bank of India is the central
bank. The central bank acts as a leader of the money market, enforces monetary discipline
in the economy of the country, manages the issue and circulation of the currency, controls
the creation of bank deposits and safe guards the financial stability of the country. It also
keeps a close touch with the government and assists in the implementation of its
economic policies. It serves as banker, agent and advisor to the government. Thus, it
functions as the apex bank of the country and contributes to the better maintenance of
the monetary and economic stability of the country. It accepts deposits from the
government, banks and other financial institutions and lends the same to the
government, banks and other financial institutions to enable them balance their funds
position. Following list shows the main functions of central bank.

Main functions of central bank

The functions of central bank are classified into three viz., Traditional functions,
Promotional functions and Supervisory functions.
Traditional functions
a) Monopoly of note issue
b) Banker to government
c) Agent and advisor to government
d) Banker to banks
e) Act as national clearing house
f) Lender of last resort
g) Controller of credit
h) Foreign exchange management
i) Exchange control
j) Publication of information
Promotional functions
a) Promotion of banking habits
b) Provide refinance for export promotion
c) Provide facilities for agricultural activities
d) Provide facilities for small scale industries
e) Provide help to co-operative sector
Supervisory functions
a) Granting of license to banks
b) Supervising and inspecting the activities of financial institutions
c) Implementing of deposit insurance scheme
d) Controlling of financial institutions

Non Banking Financial Institution / Non Banking Financial Corporation (NBFCs)

A Non Banking Financial Institution popularly called as Non Banking Financial Company
(NBFC) refers to a specialized financial institution other than a banking institution that
mobilizes the savings of a certain segment of the public and lends the same to the
individual and corporate customers to meet their specialized needs. It is registered under
the Companies Act, and is engaged in the business of lending to specialized purposes and
investing in shares, debentures, bonds, etc. As per section 45(1)(f) of the Reserve Bank of
India Act, a non banking financial company is a non banking institution which is a
company and which has its principal business the receiving of deposits under any scheme
or lending in any manner. It is compulsory for a NBFC to get itself registered with RBI as
a deposit accepting company. A company intending to do the business as a NBFC must
have a minimum of Rs. 25 lakhs as owned fund. It should have more than 50% of assets
in the form of financial assets and more than 50% of income as income from financial
assets.

Differences between NBFCs and Banking Companies

NBFC Banking Company

1. Cannot accept demand deposits

2. Cannot issue cheque books/leafs to 1. Can accept demand deposits
customers 2. Can issue cheque books/leafs to
3. Deposit insurance facility is not available customers
to the customers 3. Deposit insurance facility is available to
4. Accept / renew deposits for a minimum the customers
period of 12 months and a maximum 4. Accept / renew deposits for any period
period of 60 months 5. Can offer interest rates higher than the
5. Cannot offer interest rates higher than the ceiling rate prescribed by RBI from time
ceiling rate prescribed by RBI from time to time
to time 6. Can offer gifts/incentives or any other
6. Cannot offer gifts / incentives or any other additional benefit to the depositors
additional benefit to the depositors 7. Credit rating is not compulsory
7. Credit rating by an agency is compulsory
Types of Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)
NBFCs are classified in two ways (1) Classification as per RBI and (2) Classification on the
basis of activities performed or General Classification

Classification as per RBI

According to RBI, the NBFCs are classified into three categories viz., (1) Asset Financing
Companies, (2) Investment Companies and (3) Loan Companies.

Asset Financing Companies

These are the companies whose business is to provide finance for purchase of physical
assets like automobiles, tractors, earth moving and material handling equipments, etc.
(Example - Bajaj Auto Finance Corporation, Fullerton India).

Investment Companies
These are the companies whose business is to acquire and trade in industrial as well as
government securities like shares, stocks, bonds, debentures etc., mainly in the capital
market. (Example – Stock Broking Companies, Gilt Firms)

Loan Companies
These are the companies whose business is to give loans to activities other than their
own. They give different kinds of loans like housing loans, gold loans, etc. (Example –
Mannappuram Gold Finance, Muthoot Finance, Atica Gold Finance, HDFC, etc.)

Classification on the basis of activity performed or General classification

On the basis of activities performed or according to general classification, the NBFCs are
classified into four categories viz., (1) Development Institutions, (2) Specialized
Institutions (3) Investment Institutions and (4) Other Institutions

Development Institutions
They are the institutions that provide long term finance for agriculture and industrial
development purposes. These are multipurpose institutions that provide not only credit
facility but also assist in discovering investment projects, preparing project reports,
arranging technical advice, managing industrial units, underwriting, promotional
activities, etc. Basically they are intended to develop backward regions as well as small
and new entrepreneurs. They provide medium and long term finance to business units
mainly for acquisition / development of basic facilities like land and buildings, plant and
machinery, etc. These institutions generally do not accept deposits from the public. IDBI,
ICICI, IFCI, SIDBI, SFCs & SIDC fall under this category. The main features of development
institutions are:
• They are specialized financial institutions
• They provide medium and long term finance
• Generally they do not accept deposits from the public
• They provide multipurpose financial assistance
• Their primary objective is to promote the economic development of the country
• They encourage small and new entrepreneurs and work in the general interest of the
country

Specialized Institutions
They are the institutions that provide assistance to special sectors like housing,
infrastructure, agriculture, etc. These institutions generally do not accept deposits from
the public. NABARD, NHB, NHAI & EXIM Bank fall under this category

Investment Institutions
They are the institutions that acquire and trade in securities mainly in the capital market.
They mobilize savings of public in various forms other than in the form of demand
deposits and utilize the same for investment activities mainly in the capital market. LIC,
GIC & UTI fall under this category

Other Institutions
They are the institutions that carry a particular activity like Core Investment, Micro
Financing, Equipment Leasing, Hire Purchasing Finance, Housing Finance, Mutual Benefit
(Nidhi) Company, Chit Fund Company, etc.

Factors contributing to the growth of NBFCs

1. The banking companies were controlled through a comprehensive and detailed
regulation over their activities. However, there were no such comprehensive and
detailed regulations over the non-banking financial institutions in the past. This
has become the main reason for the growth of non-banking financial institutions.
2. Non-banking financial institutions were more easily accessible by the customers
than the banking institutions in the past. This is another reason for the growth of
NBFCs.
3. Non-banking institutions followed much less formalities during the pre and post
sanction requirements. Their services were less complicated, fast and tailor made.
This also has led to the growth of NBFCs
4. The monetary policy and credit policy announced by the RBI sometimes keeps
away some borrowers from approaching the banking institutions. NBFCs cater to
the needs of such borrowers who remain outside the purview of commercial
banks. This also has led to the growth of NBFCs.
5. Generally, the rate of interest offered on the deposits by the NBFCs is higher when
compared to the banking institutions. This also has led to the growth of NBFCs.
Functions of NBFCs
The NBFCs mainly perform the functions of receiving of deposits, lending of money and
investment of money.

Receiving deposits – NBFCs receive mainly two types of deposits. They are:
a) Regulated Deposits – The deposits on which there is a ceiling limit or certain other
restrictions prescribed by the RBI are called regulated deposits. For example, hire
purchase companies and equipment leasing companies can receive deposits only
upto ten times of their net-owned funds.
b) Exempted Deposits – The deposits on which there are no ceiling limits or other
restrictions by any controlling authority are called exempted deposits. These
deposits include borrowing from other banks and financial institutions, money
received from Government, intercompany borrowings, security deposits, money
received from local authorities, directors, etc.
Lending of money – NBFCs lend money in various forms like hire purchase finance,
leasing finance, consumption finance, finance for social activities, housing finance,
development finance, etc.
Investment of money – NBFCs invest their surplus funds in various forms of securities
like shares, stock, debentures, bonds, etc.

Services rendered by NBFCs

The important services rendered by NBFCs are:
1. Mobilization of savings by offering attractive schemes and attractive rates of
interest
2. Timely provision of adequate credit facility in a easy and simple way
3. Act as financial supermarket where credit facility is available for diversified
activities.
4. Channelize funds for productive purposes by financing the capital intensive
industries
5. Encourage thrift and develop savings habit among general public by receiving
deposits in various attractive forms.
6. Enable asset creation by providing housing finance
7. Increase standard of living of people by providing installment facilities to buy
consumer durables
8. Render expert advice on investment of funds
9. Promote economic development by providing wider choice to both borrowers
and investors

Regulations of NBFCs
As already discussed, in the earlier days, there were no comprehensive and detailed
regulations over the functioning of NBFCs. However, in 1960 the RBI made an attempt to
regulate NBFCs through issuing directions in respect of the following:
 1. Maximum amount of deposits that can be accepted by a NBFC
2. The period of deposits
3. The rate of interest
4. Maintenance of certain percentage of funds in the forms of liquid assets
5. Creation of reserve funds
6. Transfer of certain percentage of profits to reserve fund every year, etc.
The amendment made to the RBI Act in the year 1997 gave comprehensive powers to the
RBI to regulate the functioning of NBFCs. Accordingly, the NBFCs are controlled by RBI
and the important regulations in respect of NBFCs are:
1. It is mandatory for every NBFC to obtain a certificate of registration and have
minimum net owned funds.
2. Ceilings are prescribed for acceptance of deposits, capital adequacy, credit rating
and net-owned funds.
3. RBI is entrusted with the development of a comprehensive system to supervise
NBFCs.
4. Statutory auditors are required to report all kinds of non-compliance of specific
rules and regulations.

Overall contributions of NBFCs to the Indian Economy

1. Development of infrastructure facility
2. Generation of employment opportunity
3. Creation of wealth
4. Meet the requirements of economically weaker sections of the society
5. Balanced growth of different regions and industries