Regulations on Prepaid Payment Instruments -Comparing the Master Circular and Master Directions

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By Anita Baid, (finserv@vinodkothari.com)

With an enlarged view of the Government to make India go cashless and straddle towards the concept of digitalisation, many companies, specifically NBFCs are seeking approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up business in Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI). Before getting into the present regulatory framework of such PPIs, one needs to understand the concept of such instruments. PPIs are a form of digital electronic instruments. PPI issuers open an account for its account holders known as PPI holders and with the help of such account, withdrawal/ deposit is made for some pre-ascertained payments or receipt. A certain amount is deposited into such PPI Account from the holder’s Bank A/c and using the balance deposited in the PPI Account, payments are made and/or even cash is received. The introduction of such mechanism enables a person to go cashless. Such PPI instruments can be of three types: Read more →

RBI revamps Directions for issuance of Commercial Paper

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By Richa Saraf, legal@vinodkothari.com

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) vide Notification No. MRD.DIRD.01/CGM (TRS) – 2017 dated August 10, 2017 has issued Reserve Bank Commercial Paper Directions, 2017 (“New Directions”). The new guidelines are in supersession of the existing directions on Commercial Paper in the Master Directions on Money Market (Section II) RBI/FMRD/2016-17/32 dated July 7, 2016 (“Old Directions”). The following table captures the difference between the old and new directions:- Read more →

Action Plan for NPA Ordinance -Sequel 2

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By Vallari Dubey (vallari@vinodkothari.com)

Complementing the Ordinance on Non-Performing Assets (NPA)[1] which originally brought a whole new breeze in the resolution space in India, RBI has come up with a press release as a further to the first step in crystallizing the concept as laid down in the Ordinance.  RBI has brought a lot of changes for the purpose of implementation of the NPA Ordinance. The Sequel two in the Ordinance story has been released in form of a press release by RBI dated 22nd May 2017, laying down the Action Plan to implement the NPA Ordinance[2].

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Relaxing the quantitative criteria required by JLF for approving a restructuring plan by Nitu Poddar & Vallari Dubey

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RBI’s fast move in view of its latest powers granted through the Banking Ordinance

 

The Joint Lenders’ Forum (JLF) and Corrective Action Plan (CAP) work on the principle of indentifying the stress in a borrower entity and cure it at its nascent stage itself. The intent is to preserve the “economic value” of the underlying assets against the loan extended by financial creditor.

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RBI proposed draft regulations for Cross Border Mergers by Somesh Lund

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 28th April, 2017[1] proposed draft of Foreign Exchange Management (Cross border Merger) Regulations, 2017 under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 in relation to cross border mergers and is accepting public comments till 9th May, 2017. These regulations cover merger, demerger, amalgamation or arrangements between Indian company (ies) and foreign company (ies).

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A Two-section Ordinance, holding the key to India’s NPA crisis By Vinod Kothari

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The much-awaited ordinance, expected to make a tangible impact on India’s crisis of piling non-performing loans, was signed into a law by the President on 5th May 2017. The Ordinance, consisting of barely two sections, makes amendments to the regulatory framework of banking in India, viz., the Banking Regulation Act. After reading the law, one is forced to think – if this is what was holding up the resolution of NPA crisis in the country, did it actually have to take all this time?

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