A bank is financial institution, which deals with money and credit. Bank accepts deposits from the public and mobilizes the fund to productive sectors. Bank also provides remittance facility to transfer money from one place to another. Generally, bank accepts deposits from business institutions and individuals, which is mobilized into productive sectors mainly business and consumer lending. So bank is also called a dealer of money. At present context, a bank may engaged in different types of functions such as remittance, exchange currency, joint venture, underwriting, bank guarantee, discounting bills etc. The modern bank refers to an institution having the following characteristics: Bank deals with money: it accepts deposits and advances loans. Bank also deals with credit: it has the ability to create credit by expanding its liabilities. Bank is commercial institution: it aims at earning profit. Banks are the principal source of credit for millions of individuals and families and Continue reading
Bank Management
SWOT analysis of Universal Banking in India
The solution of Universal Banking was having many factors to deal with which further categorized under Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT); Strengths: Economies Of Scale: The main advantage of Universal Banking is that it results in greater economic efficiency in the form of lower cost, higher output and better products. Various Reserve Banks Committees and reports in favor of Universal Banking, is that it enables banks to exploit economies of scale and scope. It means a bank can reduce average costs and thereby improve spreads if it expands its scale of operations and diversifying activities. Profitable Diversions: By diversifying the activities, the bank can use its existing expertise in one type of financial service in providing other types. So, it entails less cost in performing all the functions by one entity instead of separate bodies. Resource Utilization: A bank possesses the information on the risk characteristics of the clients, Continue reading
Different Modes of Acceptance of Deposits by Commercial Banks
The most important activity of a commercial bank is to mobilize deposits from the public. People who have surplus income and savings find it convenient to deposit the amounts with banks. Depending upon the nature of deposits, funds deposited with bank also earn interest. Thus, deposits with the bank grow along with the interest earned. If the rate of interest is higher, public are motivated to deposit more funds with the bank. There is also safety of funds deposited with the bank. The following types of deposits are usually received by banks: Current Deposit: Also called ‘demand deposit’, current deposit can be withdrawn by the depositor at any time by cheques. Businessmen generally open current accounts with banks. Current accounts do not carry any interest as the amount deposited in these accounts is repayable on demand without any restriction. The Reserve bank of India prohibits payment of interest on current Continue reading
The Concept of Debt Recovery Management
Banks were never so serious in their efforts to ensure timely recovery and consequent reduction of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) as they are today. It is important to remember that recovery management, be of fresh loans or old loans, is central to NPA management. This management process needs to start at the loan initiating stage itself. Effective management of recovery and Non-Performing Assets comprise two pronged strategy. First relates to arresting of the defaults and creation of NPA thereof and the second is to handling of loan delinquencies. The tenets of financial sector reforms were revolutionary which created a sense of urgency in the minds of staff of bank and gave them a message that either they perform or perish. The prudential norm has forced the bank to look into the asset quality. A debt from a loan, credit line or accounts receivable that is recovered either in whole or Continue reading
Actions Taken by RBI to Tackle the Accumulation of Non Performing Assets (NPA’s) in Banks
1. Internal Checks and Control Since high level of NPAs dampens the performance of the banks identification of potential problem accounts and their close monitoring assumes importance. Though most banks have Early Warning Systems (EWS) for identification of potential NPAs, the actual processes followed, however, differ from bank to bank. The EWS enable a bank to identify the borrower accounts which show signs of credit deterioration and initiate remedial action. Many banks have evolved and adopted an elaborate EWS, which allows them to identify potential distress signals and plan their options beforehand, accordingly. The early warning signals, indicative of potential problems in the accounts, viz. persistent irregularity in accounts, delays in servicing of interest, frequent devolvement of L/Cs, units’ financial problems, market related problems, etc. are captured by the system. In addition, some of these banks are reviewing their exposure to borrower accounts every quarter based on published data Continue reading
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. Debit cards may also allow for instant withdrawal of cash, acting as the Continue reading