The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed by the parliament to replaces an ordinance to the same effect promulgated on June 26.
The Bill proposes amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
This new Bill aims to bring cooperative banks under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Highlights
All the Provisions applicable to banking companies will also be applicable to cooperative banks.
It will help the central bank to develop a scheme to ensure the interest of the public, banking system, account holders in the bank and banking company’s proper management, without disrupting any banking functionalities.
The amendments also allow cooperative banks to raise money via public issues and private placements of equity or preference shares as well as unsecured debentures.
Exceptions
It will not affect the existing powers of the state registrars of co-operative societies under state laws.
It will not apply to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) or co-operative societies whose primary object and principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development, and which do not use the words “bank”, “banker” or “banking”.