Statutory Liquidity Ratio

refers to the amount that the commercial banks require to maintain in the form of cash, or gold or govt. approved securities before providing credit to the customers. Statutory Liquidity Ratio is determined and maintained by the Reserve Bank of India in order to control the expansion of bank credit.

Statutory Liquidity Ratio or SLR refers to the amount that all banks require maintaining in cash or in the form of Gold or approved securities. Here by approved securities we mean, bond and shares of different companies.

Statutory Liquidity Ratio

is determined as percentage of total demand and percentage of time liabilities. Time Liabilities refer to the liabilities, which the commercial banks are liable to pay to the customers on there anytime demand. The liabilities that the banks are liable to pay within one month's time, due to completion of maturity period, are also considered as time liabilities. The maximum limit of SLR is 40% and minimum limit of SLR is 24%. In India, Reserve Bank of India always determines the percentage of Statutory Liquidity Ratio. There are some statutory requirements for temporarily placing the money in Government Bonds. Following this requirement, Reserve Bank of India fixes the level of Statutory Liquidity Ratio. At present, the minimum limit of Statutory Liquidity Ratio that can be set by the Reserve Bank is 25%.

The main objectives for maintaining the Statutory Liquidity Ratio are the following:

Statutory Liquidity Ratio is maintained in order to control the expansion of Bank Credit. By changing the level of Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Reserve bank of India can increase or decrease bank credit expansion. Statutory Liquidity Ratio in a way ensures the solvency of commercial banks. By determining Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Reserve Bank of India, in a way, compels the commercial banks to invest in government securities like government bonds.

If any Indian Bank fails to maintain the required level of Statutory Liquidity Ratio, then it becomes liable to pay penalty to Reserve Bank of India. The defaulter bank pays penal interest at the rate of 3% per annum above the Bank Rate, on the shortfall amount for that particular day. But, according to the Circular, released by the Department of Banking Operations and

Development, Reserve Bank of India; if the defaulter bank continues to default on the next working day, then the rate of penal interest can be increased to 5% per annum above the Bank Rate. This restriction is imposed by RBI on banks to make funds available to customers on demand as soon as possible. Gold and Government Securities (or Gilts) are included along with cash because they are highly liquid and safe assets. The RBI can increase the Statutory Liquidity Ratio to contain inflation, suck liquidity in the market, to tighten the measure to safeguard the customers money. In a growing economy banks would like to invest in stock market, not in Government Securities or Gold as the latter would yield less returns. One more reason is long term Government Securities (or any bond) are sensitive to interest rate changes. But in an emerging economy interest rate change is a common activity