📘 Q.8 IAS Prelims 2024 — Economics (Monetary Policy | Financial Markets)
🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk
📌 The Question:
Consider the following statements:
- In India, Non-Banking Financial Companies can access the Liquidity Adjustment Facility window of the Reserve Bank of India.
- In India, Foreign Institutional Investors can hold the Government Securities (G-Secs).
- In India, Stock Exchanges can offer separate trading platforms for debts.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) 2 and 3 only
✅ Correct Answer: (d) 2 and 3 only
🧠 Curiosity Raiser
Why does UPSC repeatedly test who can access RBI facilities instead of asking about interest rates directly?
📘 Enrichment Notes (Prelims-Oriented | RBI + Markets)
❌ Statement 1 — Incorrect
- Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) is available only to:
- Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs)
- Primary Dealers (PDs)
- NBFCs do NOT have direct access to LAF
- Only a few NBFCs that are designated as PDs may participate
📌 UPSC Trap:
NBFCs are regulated by RBI, but regulation ≠ access to LAF
✅ Statement 2 — Correct
- Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs / FPIs) are permitted to invest in:
- Government Securities (G-Secs)
- Treasury Bills
- State Development Loans (SDLs)
- Subject to:
- SEBI registration
- RBI investment limits (debt ceilings)
📌 This has deepened India’s sovereign bond market and improved liquidity.
✅ Statement 3 — Correct
- SEBI has allowed separate debt trading platforms on stock exchanges
- Objective:
- Develop corporate bond market
- Improve transparency and liquidity
- NSE was the first exchange to launch a dedicated debt segment
- Banks are permitted as trading members in this segment
🧩 Concept Map (Quick Recall)
| Facility / Market | Who Can Access |
|---|---|
| RBI LAF | Banks + PDs only |
| G-Secs | Domestic + Foreign investors |
| Debt Platforms | Stock Exchanges (SEBI-approved) |
🧘♂️ IAS Monk Whisper
In monetary policy, access is power — and RBI guards its windows carefully.
