Bank Rate or Discount Rate is one of the earliest methods of general credit control developed by the Bank of England and it was considered an effective method till the outbreak of First World War. After the war, Bank of England developed other methods as it found the bank rate policy to be not so effective. The essence of discount rate policy that commercial banks approach the central bank whenever they are in need of financial accommodation. They get the necessary assistance by re-discounting the eligible bills and other securities. The Central bank would re-discount these instruments at a rate which directly determines the volume of funds which the commercial banks can get through this method of financial accommodation.… Read the rest
Bank Management
Lead Bank Scheme
A milestone in the history of banking in India is the nationalization of the 14 major commercial banks in 1969. This process was undertaken with the main objective of involving the banking sector in a big way in the nation building and economic development. To help to achieve this commendable objective, two committees were set up viz., National Credit Council Study Group with D.R. Gadgil as the Chairman and the Committee of Bankers under the chairmanship of Nariman. These committees independently went into their terms of reference and recommended an ‘area approach’ for involving the banks in economic development. This paved the way for giving a concrete shape to the Lead Bank Scheme.… Read the rest
Credit Creation by Commercial Banks
Credit creation is the most significant function of the commercial banks. Commercial banks accept deposits and lend loans and advances. In this process they create two types of deposits, namely primary deposits and derivative or active deposits. The former refers to the cash deposited by a customer in a bank or deposit a cheque with the bank for collection. The banker merely accepts cash am converts it into a deposit. Hence, this is merely a passive role performed by the banks. These primary deposits do not add to the money stock in the economy. From their experience and observation the banks know that not all the customers will withdraw their deposits on any single day.… Read the rest
What is Debit Card?
A debit card is a plastic card that provides an alternative payment method to cash when making purchases. Functionally, it can be called an electronic check, as the funds are withdrawn directly from either the bank account or from the remaining balance on the card. In some cases, the debit cards are designed exclusively for use on the Internet, and so there is no physical card. In many countries the use of debit cards has become so widespread that their volume of use has overtaken or entirely replaced the check and, in some instances cash transactions. Like credit cards, debit cards are used widely for telephone and Internet purchases and unlike the credit cards, the funds are transferred immediately from the bearer’s bank account instead of having the bearer pay back the money at a later date.… Read the rest
Bank Draft – Meaning and Definition
A bank draft is an order from one branch to another branch of the same bank to pay a specified sum of money to a person named therein or to his order. A draft is always payable on demand. Banks issue drafts at the request of the customers on their branches at the place of destination for remitting money from one place to another place. Any person who wants to remit money has to purchase a draft from the bank by paying the amount in advance to the bank. The purchaser of the draft then sends the draft to the payee’s place of residence by post or courier for the purpose of encashment at the drawee branch of the bank.… Read the rest
Different Modes of Granting Loans by Commercial Banks
The basic function of a commercial bank is to make loans and advances out of the money which is received from the public by way of deposits.The loans are particularly granted to businessmen and members of the public against personal security, gold and silver and other movable and immovable assets. Such loans and advances are given to members of the public and to the business community at a higher rate of interest than allowed by banks on various deposit accounts. The rate of interest charged on loans and advances varies depending upon the purpose, period and the mode of repayment. The difference between the rates of interest allowed on deposits and the rate charged on the loans is the main source of a commercial banks income. … Read the rest