GOLD MONETISATION SCHEME
December
14, 2015
Gold Monetisation Scheme
This refers to the report
“For Gold Scheme to Work Don’t Ask Source: Traders” (Economic Times, December
14, 2015). The report gives an impression that prospective depositors are being
harassed by asking extra information when they approach banks for making
deposits under Gold Monetisation Scheme. A perusal of the RBI Guidelines and
the scheme details published by one of the banks implementing the scheme (SBI)
does not give any clue to banks insisting on any additional information than
those sought by banks while accepting deposits in cash. Brief details accessed
are given below.
M G WARRIER, Mumbai
Gold Monetisation
Scheme*
The
Gold Monetisation Scheme, 2015 will replace the existing Gold Deposit Scheme,
1999. However, the deposits outstanding under the Gold Deposit Scheme will be
allowed to run till maturity unless the depositors prematurely withdraw them.
Eligibility
Resident
Indians (Individuals, HUF, Trusts including Mutual Funds/Exchange Traded Funds
registered under SEBI (Mutual Fund) Regulations and Companies) can make
deposits under the scheme.
Minimum Size
The
minimum deposit at any one time shall be raw gold (bars, coins, jewellery
excluding stones and other metals) equivalent to 30 grams of gold of 995
fineness. There is no maximum limit for deposit under the scheme.
The
gold will be accepted at the Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTC)
certified by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and notified by the Central
Government under the Scheme. The deposit certificates will be issued by banks
in equivalence of 995 fineness of gold. The principal and interest of the
deposit under the scheme will be denominated in gold.
Types of Deposits
The
designated banks will accept gold deposits under the Short Term (1-3 years)
Bank Deposit (STBD) as well as Medium (5-7 years) and Long (12-15 years) Term
Government Deposit Schemes. While the former will be accepted by banks on their
own account, the latter will be on behalf of Government of India. There will be
provision for premature withdrawal subject to a minimum lock-in period and
penalty to be determined by individual banks.
Interest on
Deposits
Interest on deposits under the scheme will
start accruing from the date of conversion of gold deposited into tradable gold
bars after refinement or 30 days after the receipt of gold at the CPTC or the
bank’s designated branch, as the case may be and whichever is earlier. During
the period from the date of receipt of gold by the CPTC or the designated
branch, as the case may be, to the date on which interest starts accruing in
the deposit, the gold accepted by the CPTC or the designated branch of the bank
shall be treated as an item in safe custody held by the designated bank.
Reserve
Requirements
The short term
bank deposits will attract applicable cash reserve ratio (CRR) and statutory
liquidity ratio (SLR). However, the stock of gold held by the banks will count
towards the general SLR requirement.
KYC to apply
The opening of
gold deposit accounts will be subject to the same rules with regard to customer
identification as are applicable to any other deposit account.
Utilisation of
Gold mobilised under GMS
The designated
banks may sell or lend the gold accepted under STBD to MMTC for minting India
Gold Coins (IGC) and to jewellers, or sell it to other designated banks
participating in GMS. The gold deposited under MLTGD will be auctioned by MMTC
or any other agency authorised by the Central Government and the sale proceeds
credited to the Central Government’s account with the Reserve Bank. The
entities participating in the auction may include the Reserve Bank, MMTC, banks
and any other entities notified by the Central Government. Banks may utilise
the gold purchased in the auction for purposes indicated above.
Risk Management
Designated banks should put in place a
suitable risk management mechanism, including appropriate limits, to manage the
risk arising from gold price movements in respect of their net exposure to
gold. For this purpose, they have been allowed to access the international
exchanges, London Bullion Market
Excerpt from SBI Gold Deposit Scheme**
Acceptance of gold
·
Gold i.e Gold bars, Coins, Jewellery
etc. will be accepted in scrap form only.
·
Customers to submit Application
Form, Identification Proof, Address Proof and Inventory Form.
·
Provisional Receipt issued at the
time of acceptance of gold.
*Source: RBI Credit Information Review
**Source: SBI Website
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