Banking Awareness Questions for IBPS PO and Clerk | 31st October 2018

IFC or International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s lending arm, has launched its $1 billion masala bond programme in the US and Europe. These bonds are aimed at funding the rapidly expanding investment activities of IFC in India.

Continuing the practice of placing key statistics relating to direct tax collections and administration in public domain, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has further released time-series data as updated up to FY 2017-18 and income-distribution data for AY 2016-17 and AY 2017-18. The number of persons filing return of income has also increased by about 65% during this period from 3.31 crore in FY 2013-14 to 5.44 crore in FY 2017-18.

The Reserve Bank of India will inject Rs 40,000 crore in the banking system next month (November 2018), a move that will help ease cash shortage in the system and stabilise debt market rates. Based on an assessment of the durable liquidity needs going forward, RBI has decided to conduct purchase of government securities under open market operations for an aggregate amount of Rs400 billion in the month of November 2018.

State Bank of India has slashed the daily withdrawal limit on its classic debit card from Rs 40,000 to Rs 20,000. There is no change in the daily withdrawal limits on other cards. The new limit effective from 31st October 2018.

On the occasion of Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), had launched a National Level Entrepreneurship Awareness Campaign, Udyam Abhilasha in 115 Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog in 28 States and reaching to around 15,000 youth.

The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 crore on Karur Vysya Bank for non-compliance of its directives. According to RBI statement, the penalty was imposed for non-compliance with its directions on "Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms, reporting of frauds, and on the need for discipline at the time of opening of current accounts".

The Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines for operating Electronic Trading Platforms (ETPs) to transact in eligible instruments. Trading on electronic platforms is being encouraged across the world as it enhances pricing transparency, processing efficiency and risk control.

National Housing Bank (NHB) has decided to increase the Refinance Limit from Rs. 24,000 crore to Rs.30,000 crore for the Current Year (July 2018-June 2019) towards refinancing eligible institutions. Now, eligible Housing Finance Companies & Other entities will have increased availability of funds.

State-run IDBI Bank has announced that Rakesh Sharma has taken charge as the managing director and chief executive officer of the bank. He has replaced B Sriram.

State Bank of India has signed an MoU with Kathmandu-based National Banking Institute (NBI) for the development of human resources of the latter. Under the MoU, the strategic training unit of SBI will impart education, training and development to facilitate transformation of NBI's HR department.