Banking Overview And Historical Perspective
Banking Overview
The major participants of the Indian financial system are the commercial banks, the financial institutions (FIs), encompassing term-lending institutions, investment institutions, specialized financial institutions and the state-level development banks, Non-Bank Financial Companies (NBFCs) and other market intermediaries such as the stock brokers and money-lenders. The commercial banks and certain variants of NBFCs are among the oldest of the market participants. The FIs, on the other hand, are relatively new entities in the financial market place.
Historical perspective
Bank of Hindustan, set up in 1870, was the earliest Indian Bank. Banking in India on modern lines started with the establishment of three presidency banks under Presidency Bank's act 1876 i.e. Bank of Calcutta, Bank of Bombay and Bank of Madras. In 1921, all presidency banks were amalgamated to form the Imperial Bank of India. Imperial bank carried out limited central banking functions also prior to establishment of RBI. It engaged in all types of commercial banking business except dealing in foreign exchange.
Reserve Bank of India Act was passed in 1934 & Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was constituted as an apex bank without major government ownership. Banking Regulations Act was passed in 1949. This regulation brought Reserve Bank of India under government control. Under the act, RBI got wide ranging powers for supervision & control of banks. The Act also vested licensing powers & the authority to conduct inspections in RBI.
In 1955, RBI acquired control of the Imperial Bank of India, which was renamed as State Bank of India. In 1959, SBI took over control of eight private banks floated in the erstwhile princely states, making them as its 100% subsidiaries.
RBI was empowered in 1960, to force compulsory merger of weak banks with the strong ones. The total number of banks was thus reduced from 566 in 1951 to 85 in 1969. In July 1969, government nationalized 14 banks
The major participants of the Indian financial system are the commercial banks, the financial institutions (FIs), encompassing term-lending institutions, investment institutions, specialized financial institutions and the state-level development banks, Non-Bank Financial Companies (NBFCs) and other market intermediaries such as the stock brokers and money-lenders. The commercial banks and certain variants of NBFCs are among the oldest of the market participants. The FIs, on the other hand, are relatively new entities in the financial market place.
Historical perspective
Bank of Hindustan, set up in 1870, was the earliest Indian Bank. Banking in India on modern lines started with the establishment of three presidency banks under Presidency Bank's act 1876 i.e. Bank of Calcutta, Bank of Bombay and Bank of Madras. In 1921, all presidency banks were amalgamated to form the Imperial Bank of India. Imperial bank carried out limited central banking functions also prior to establishment of RBI. It engaged in all types of commercial banking business except dealing in foreign exchange.
Reserve Bank of India Act was passed in 1934 & Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was constituted as an apex bank without major government ownership. Banking Regulations Act was passed in 1949. This regulation brought Reserve Bank of India under government control. Under the act, RBI got wide ranging powers for supervision & control of banks. The Act also vested licensing powers & the authority to conduct inspections in RBI.
In 1955, RBI acquired control of the Imperial Bank of India, which was renamed as State Bank of India. In 1959, SBI took over control of eight private banks floated in the erstwhile princely states, making them as its 100% subsidiaries.
RBI was empowered in 1960, to force compulsory merger of weak banks with the strong ones. The total number of banks was thus reduced from 566 in 1951 to 85 in 1969. In July 1969, government nationalized 14 banks