DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Monthly DNA

18 Apr, 2026

46 Min Read

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Paper	Topics	Subject
PT Pointer	RBI Guidelines on Digital Banking Channels	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	RBI Draft Revised Guidelines for Lead Bank Scheme (LBS)	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	Standing Deposit Facility	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	RBI Introduces STRIPS in State Government Securities	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	RBI Approves Risk-Based Deposit Insurance Framework for Banks	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	Foreign Currency Settlement System for GIFT IFSC	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	CBDC-based Digital Food Coupon	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	Common Contract Note	Fiscal and Monetary policy
	Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0	Indian Economy and Related topics
	MSMEs: Core of India’s Global Growth Strategy	Indian Economy and Related topics

RBI Guidelines on Digital Banking Channels

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

RBI Guidelines on Digital Banking Channels

On 28th November 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Master Directions titled ‘Digital Banking Channels Authorisation’.

The Directions came into effect on 1st January 2026 and aim to standardise and regulate India’s expanding digital banking ecosystem.

Aspect	Details
Applicability	The Directions apply to commercial banks, including the State Bank of India, but exclude Small Finance Banks, Payments Banks, and Local Area Banks.
Explicit Consent	Banks must obtain clear and explicit customer consent before activating any digital banking services.
Non-Mandatory Adoption	Customers are not required to adopt digital banking channels to access other banking services such as debit cards. The choice remains with the customer.
Mobile Number Collection	Banks are permitted to collect customers’ mobile numbers for transaction alerts and compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Risk Mitigation Measures	Banks must implement transaction limits, velocity limits, and conduct fraud checks based on internal risk assessments.
Transaction Monitoring	Banks must employ risk-based transaction surveillance to identify unusual behaviour and seek prior confirmation for outlier transactions.
Network-Independent Access	Mobile banking services should remain accessible across all mobile network operators.
Restriction on Third-Party Products	Banks cannot display third-party or group-company products on digital channels unless specifically permitted by the RBI.
Prior RBI Approval	Banks must obtain prior RBI approval before launching transaction banking facilities, subject to fulfilment of prescribed criteria.

PT Facts

RBI: India’s central bank established under the RBI Act, 1934.
Major Digital Payment Systems: UPI, IMPS, NEFT and RTGS.
KYC Norms: Linked to anti-money laundering requirements under the PMLA framework.
Digital Banking Regulation: Focuses on customer consent, cyber security and fraud mitigation.
Grievance Redress: Customer protection and complaint handling are core regulatory concerns.
Bank Categories: Commercial Banks, Payments Banks and Small Finance Banks differ in regulatory permissions and scope.

Source:

RBI Draft Revised Guidelines for Lead Bank Scheme (LBS)

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

RBI Draft Revised Guidelines for Lead Bank Scheme (LBS)

On 13 February 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued draft revised guidelines for the Lead Bank Scheme (LBS) and invited public comments.

The revision aims to strengthen district-level banking coordination and improve credit planning, financial inclusion, and monitoring mechanisms.

Aspect	Details
Lead Bank Scheme	The Lead Bank Scheme is a framework for district-level banking coordination, credit planning and development-linked banking outreach.
Launch	The scheme was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India in December 1969.
Area Approach	Under the Area Approach, each district is assigned a Lead Bank to coordinate banking and development activities.
Priority Sector Focus	The scheme places special emphasis on priority sector lending and localised credit planning according to district-level development needs.
Core Role	LBS supports district-level banking coordination and provides focused developmental leadership through assigned banks.
National Credit Council	The National Credit Council first proposed the Area Approach in 1968.
Nariman Committee	The Nariman Committee recommended in 1969 that specific banks should be assigned to designated districts for focused developmental leadership.

PT Facts

Post-Nationalisation Link: LBS emerged to improve banking outreach and district credit planning.
SLBC: State Level Bankers’ Committees are important institutional mechanisms under LBS.
DCC: District Consultative Committees support district-level review and coordination.
Priority Sector Lending: Includes agriculture, MSMEs, weaker sections, education and housing.
Financial Inclusion: LBS supports credit planning and review of government-sponsored schemes.
Local Development: The scheme links banking expansion with district-level development needs.

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Standing Deposit Facility

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Standing Deposit Facility

On 9th April 2025, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra expressed concern that banks were increasingly parking surplus funds in the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) instead of lending them in the market.

The SDF is an important liquidity management tool used by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF).

Aspect	Details
What is SDF?	The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) is a liquidity management tool under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) that allows banks to park surplus funds with the RBI.
Collateral-Free Mechanism	Under the SDF, banks can deposit money with the RBI without providing government securities or collateral.
Introduction	The Standing Deposit Facility was introduced on 8th April 2022.
Liquidity Management Role	The SDF, along with the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate, functions as a dedicated liquidity management mechanism of the RBI.
Policy Corridor	The SDF rate forms the floor of the RBI’s policy corridor, while the MSF/Bank Rate acts as the ceiling.
Replacement of Reverse Repo	In April 2022, the SDF replaced the reverse repo rate as the floor of the liquidity adjustment framework.
Monetary Policy Transmission	The SDF is mainly used to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system and is an important tool for the transmission of monetary policy.

PT Facts

Policy Corridor: SDF forms the floor, while MSF/Bank Rate forms the ceiling.
Reverse Repo Replacement: SDF replaced the reverse repo in April 2022.
Collateral-Free: Banks are not required to provide government securities under SDF.
Main Purpose: Used to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.
Liquidity Adjustment Facility: RBI framework for short-term liquidity management.
Monetary Policy: SDF is an important instrument for policy transmission.

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RBI Introduces STRIPS in State Government Securities

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

RBI Introduces STRIPS in State Government Securities

On 12th June 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formally introduced the facility of stripping and reconstitution in the State Government Securities (SGS) market.

The move aims to deepen the bond market, improve liquidity, and expand investment options for institutions requiring predictable cash flows.

Aspect	Details
What are STRIPS?	STRIPS involve splitting a standard coupon-bearing government security into separate tradable components consisting of each interest payment and the principal repayment.
Tradable Components	Each separated component is traded independently in the market as a zero-coupon security.
Example	A 10-year State Government bond with annual coupon payments can be stripped into 11 separate components consisting of 10 interest payments and 1 principal repayment.
Zero-Coupon Nature	Each STRIPS component functions as a zero-coupon bond and is traded separately from the original security.
Earlier Introduction	India had earlier introduced STRIPS for Central Government Securities in 2010.
Investor Utility	STRIPS are particularly useful for insurance companies and pension funds that require predictable future cash flows.
Bond Market Development	STRIPS help in developing a more refined yield curve and improve depth and efficiency in the bond market.

PT Facts

STRIPS: Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities.
India Introduction: STRIPS for Central Government Securities began in 2010.
Zero-Coupon Instruments: Issued at a discount and redeemed at face value.
Investor Base: Useful for insurance companies and pension funds.
Yield Curve: STRIPS help create a more refined bond market yield curve.
SGS: Refers to State Government Securities issued by states for borrowing.

Source:

RBI Approves Risk-Based Deposit Insurance Framework for Banks

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

RBI Approves Risk-Based Deposit Insurance Framework for Banks

On 19th December 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved a risk-based deposit insurance framework for banks at its 620th board meeting.

The reform aims to incentivise prudent banking behaviour and reduce moral hazard by rewarding well-managed financial institutions.

Aspect	Details
Deposit Insurance	Deposit insurance protects bank depositors against the risk of losing their deposits if a bank faces failure or severe financial stress.
Administering Body	Deposit insurance is administered by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI.
Earlier Flat Premium	Earlier, banks paid a flat premium of 12 paise per Rs. 100 of assessable deposits.
Limitation of Old System	The flat-rate system was simple to administer but did not distinguish between banks based on their financial soundness.
New Framework	Banks with strong capital, governance, and asset quality will benefit from lower premium rates under the new framework.
Higher-Risk Banks	Higher-risk institutions will be required to contribute more to the deposit insurance fund, encouraging better risk management and prudent banking practices.

PT Facts

DICGC Cover: Up to Rs. 5 lakh per depositor per bank.
Covered Deposits: Savings, current, fixed and recurring deposits.
Covered Banks: Commercial banks, RRBs, local area banks and many cooperative banks.
Risk-Based Premium: Encourages better governance and prudent risk management.
Depositor Protection: Protects depositors against loss within the insured limit.
Bank Stress: Deposit insurance does not prevent a bank from facing financial stress or failure.

Source:

Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026

On 16th January 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the revised Reserve Bank - Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2026.

The scheme provides a cost-effective, expeditious, and non-adversarial grievance redress mechanism for complaints against regulated financial entities.

Aspect	Details
Purpose of Scheme	RB-IOS provides an alternative grievance redress mechanism for resolving complaints against Regulated Entities in a quick and consumer-friendly manner.
Effective Date	The revised scheme will come into force from 1st July 2026.
RBI Ombudsman	RBI may appoint one or more officers as RBI Ombudsman and RBI Deputy Ombudsman, generally for a period of three years.
CRPC	The RBI will establish a Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre (CRPC) to receive and process complaints.
Principal Nodal Officer	Every regulated entity must appoint a Principal Nodal Officer at its head office to furnish information related to complaints.
Powers of Ombudsman	The RBI Ombudsman can hear disputes without any upper monetary limit and may award compensation up to Rs. 30 lakh.
Appeal Mechanism	A regulated entity or complainant may file an appeal before the Appellate Authority within 30 days.

PT Facts

One Nation, One Ombudsman: RBI follows an integrated ombudsman framework.
Coverage: Applies to banks, NBFCs and payment system participants.
CMS: Complaints can generally be filed through RBI’s Complaint Management System.
Common Complaints: Loans, deposits, digital payments, cards and remittances.
Consumer-Friendly: The mechanism is intended to be inexpensive and accessible.
Non-Adversarial Process: Focuses on speedy and simplified grievance redress.

Source:

Foreign Currency Settlement System for GIFT IFSC

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Banking System

Foreign Currency Settlement System for GIFT IFSC

On 7th October 2025, the Centre launched a Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City.

The system is designed to support real-time settlement of foreign currency transactions within the IFSC and reduce dependence on older correspondent banking channels.

Aspect	Details
FCSS	The Foreign Currency Settlement System is a real-time payment and settlement mechanism for transactions conducted in foreign currencies within the IFSC.
Initial Currency	The system initially supports settlement in US dollars (USD).
Old Settlement Model	Earlier, the correspondent banking model required global intermediaries and usually took 36-48 hours to process global transactions.
Legal Framework	FCSS operates under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.
Regulator	The system is regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).
Expected Benefits	FCSS helps reduce settlement time, transaction cost, and settlement risk for foreign currency transactions within GIFT IFSC.

PT Facts

GIFT City: India’s first operational International Financial Services Centre.
Location: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, Gujarat.
IFSCA: Established in 2020 as a unified regulator for financial products and institutions in IFSCs.
FCSS Benefit: Reduces settlement time, transaction cost and settlement risk.
IFSC Purpose: Brings offshore financial services business onshore to India.
GIFT IFSC Activities:<

Source:

CBDC-based Digital Food Coupon

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

CBDC-based Digital Food Coupon

On 14th February 2026, the Union Government launched a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Digital Food Currency pilot in Gujarat.

The initiative has been launched in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Gujarat government under the Public Distribution System (PDS).

Aspect	Details
Digital Food Coupon	Under the CBDC framework, food coupons can be issued through the RBI and credited directly to beneficiaries as programmable digital tokens.
Redemption Process	Beneficiaries can redeem their entitled quantity of food grains at Fair Price Shops (FPS) using a CBDC coupon or voucher code.
Central Bank Digital Currency	CBDCs are digital versions of a country’s fiat currency, issued and regulated by the central bank.
Difference from Cryptocurrency	Unlike decentralised cryptocurrencies, CBDCs are centralised and fully controlled by the government or central bank.
Global First CBDC	The Bahamas was the first country to launch a nationwide CBDC named the Sand Dollar in 2020.
Other Global Examples	Nigeria launched the eNaira, while China piloted its digital currency, the e-CNY or Digital Yuan, in April 2020.
India’s CBDC	Digital Rupee is India’s Central Bank Digital Currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India.

PT Facts

Digital Rupee Pilot: RBI launched pilots in wholesale and retail segments in 2022.
Programmable CBDC: Enables use-restrictions for specified purposes.
PDS Framework: Operates under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
Fair Price Shops: Last-mile outlets for subsidised food grains.
Welfare Delivery: CBDC can improve traceability and transparency.
Leakage Control: Programmable coupons can restrict misuse of benefits.

Source:

Common Contract Note

GS-III : Fiscal and Monetary policy Banking System

Common Contract Note

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has deferred the rollout of the Common Contract Note (CCN) for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to 1 July 2025.

The implementation was earlier scheduled for 30 April 2025. The reform aims to streamline reporting and trade documentation across stock exchanges.

Aspect	Details
Contract Note	A contract note is a legal document issued by brokers to investors summarising all trades executed during a trading day.
Information Included	It contains details such as security name, quantity, trade price, time of trade, brokerage charges, and applicable taxes.
Importance	The contract note serves as official proof of trade execution and is important for record-keeping and tax purposes.
Existing System	Currently, investors executing trades across both NSE and BSE receive separate contract notes from each exchange.
VWAP Difference	Separate exchange-wise contract notes show their own Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) for the same order.
Common Contract Note	The proposed Common Contract Note (CCN) seeks to simplify and consolidate trade reporting for Foreign Portfolio Investors.

PT Facts

SEBI: Statutory regulator of India’s securities market established in 1992.
FPIs: Overseas investors registered with SEBI to invest in Indian financial markets.
NSE: National Stock Exchange of India.
BSE: Bombay Stock Exchange, one of India’s oldest stock exchanges.
VWAP: Volume Weighted Average Price reflects the average traded price weighted by volume.
Trade Proof: Contract notes are essential legal records for investors and taxation.

Source:

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

GS-III : Indian Economy and Related topics Industries and Industrial policy

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

On 13th February 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a corpus of Rs. 10,000 crore.

The initiative has been launched under the broader Startup India programme to strengthen India’s startup ecosystem and deepen access to growth capital.

Aspect	Details
FoF 2.0 Approval	The Union Cabinet approved the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a total corpus of Rs. 10,000 crore.
Startup India Vision	The new fund builds on nearly a decade of efforts under the Startup India initiative to establish India as a leading global startup ecosystem.
Fund of Funds Model	A Fund of Funds (FoF) generally does not invest directly in startups but channels investments through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).
Investment Structure	The architecture enables capital support for startups through professionally managed investment funds operating across sectors and growth stages.
Role of SIDBI	SIDBI has been the key institution associated with the Startup India Fund of Funds framework.
Objective	FoF 2.0 aims to strengthen startup financing, promote innovation, and expand India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through institutional funding support.

PT Facts

Startup India: Launched on 16 January 2016.
FoF Model: Does not directly invest in startups.
Investment Route: Investments are made through SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds.
SIDBI: Small Industries Development Bank of India plays a central role in the FoF architecture.
AIFs: Alternative Investment Funds are regulated investment vehicles under SEBI.
Startup Ecosystem: India is among the world’s leading startup ecosystems by number of startups and unicorns.

Source:

MSMEs: Core of India’s Global Growth Strategy

GS-III : Indian Economy and Related topics Industries and Industrial policy

MSMEs: Core of India’s Global Growth Strategy

The Union Budget 2026-27 places Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the centre of India’s growth strategy with a major focus on competitiveness, exports, employment and financing support.

The Budget introduces a three-pronged strategy covering equity support, liquidity support, and professional support to help MSMEs emerge as globally competitive enterprises.

Aspect	Details
SME Growth Fund	A dedicated Rs. 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund has been announced to create future MSME champions through eligibility-based incentives.
SRI Fund Expansion	The Self-Reliant India (SRI) Fund, established in 2021, will receive an additional Rs. 2,000 crore to support micro enterprises and improve access to risk capital.
TReDS Platform	More than Rs. 7 lakh crore has already been unlocked for MSMEs through the Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS).
Mandatory TReDS Usage	TReDS will be made the settlement platform for all purchases from MSMEs by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
CGTMSE Support	The Budget proposes Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE)-backed credit guarantee support for MSMEs.
GeM Integration	The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) will be integrated with TReDS to improve information-sharing between government buyers and financiers.
Asset-Backed Securities	TReDS receivables will be introduced as asset-backed securities to deepen the secondary market for MSME financing.
Corporate Mitras	Professional institutions will develop short modular courses to train “Corporate Mitras” in Tier-II and Tier-III towns.
MSME Scale	India’s MSME sector comprises more than 7.47 crore enterprises and supports livelihoods for over 32.82 crore people.
Economic Contribution	MSMEs contribute around 31.1% of GDP, 35.4% of manufacturing output, and approximately 48.58% of India’s exports.
Employment Role	The MSME sector remains India’s second-largest employer after agriculture.

PT Facts

MSMED Act: MSMEs are governed under the MSMED Act, 2006.
TReDS: Electronic platform for financing MSME trade receivables.
GeM: National public procurement portal for government buyers.
CGTMSE: Provides collateral-free credit guarantee support to micro and small enterprises.
CPSEs: Central Public Sector Enterprises are government-owned corporations.
Global Trade Role: MSMEs account for nearly half of India’s exports.

Source:

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