NON-BANKING FINANCIAL COMPANIES (NBFC)

A Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 engaged in the business of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by Government or local authority or other marketable securities of a like nature, leasing, hire-purchase, insurance business, chit business but does not include any institution whose principal business is that of agriculture activity, industrial activity, purchase or sale of any goods (other than securities) or providing any services and sale/purchase/construction of immovable property.

A non-banking institution which is a company and has principal business of receiving deposits under any scheme or arrangement in one lump sum or in installments by way of contributions or in any other manner, is also a non-banking financial company (Residuary non-banking company).

Difference between Banks and NBFCs

NBFCs lend and make investments and hence their activities are a kin to that of banks; however there are a few differences as given below:

NBFC cannot accept demand deposits.
NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself.
Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to depositors of NBFCs, unlike in case of banks.

Some of the important regulations relating to acceptance of deposits by NBFCs are as under:

The NBFCs are allowed to accept/renew public deposits for a minimum period of 12 months and maximum period of 60 months. They cannot accept deposits repayable on demand.
NBFCs cannot offer interest rates higher than the ceiling rate prescribed by RBI from time to time. The present ceiling is 12.5 per cent per annum.
NBFCs cannot offer gifts/incentives or any other additional benefit to the depositors.
NBFCs should have minimum investment grade credit rating.
The deposits with NBFCs are not insured.
The repayment of deposits by NBFCs is not guaranteed by RBI.
Certain mandatory disclosures are to be made about the company in the Application Form issued by the company soliciting deposits.

NOTE– All NBFCs are not entitled to accept public deposits. Only those NBFCs to which the RBI had given a specific authorisation and have an investment grade rating are allowed to accept/ hold public deposits to a limit of 1.5 times of its Net Owned Funds.