RBI drafts liquidity norms, adding buffers for electronic fund transfers

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday released draft guidelines proposing banks to assign additional liquidity buffers for accounts having internet and mobile banking (IMB) facilities to stave off any risks during times of stress.

The draft guidelines follow an announcement by Governor Shaktikanta Das in the April policy review, given the high usage of technological tools in banking that can lead to moving of funds without physically queuing up at bank branches.

"While increased usage of technology has facilitated the ability to make instantaneous bank transfers and withdrawals, it has also led to a concomitant increase in risks, requiring proactive management," the draft circular amending the 2014-issued guidelines on Basel-III Framework on Liquidity Standards' Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), Liquidity Risk Monitoring Tools and LCR Disclosure Standards," said.

The draft suggests banks shall assign an additional 5 per cent run-off factor for retail deposits, which are enabled