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UPSC » UPSC CSE Study Materials » General Awareness » Bank Definition

Bank Definition

this article contains bank definition, and information on financial institutions, deposits, and financial services .

Table of Content
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A bank is a financial entity that is permitted to receive funds and provide loans. Investment management, currency exchange, and safe deposit boxes are all financial services that banks may offer. Retail banks, corporate or commercial banks, and financial firms are among the several types of banks available. The governing party or central bank regulates banks in most nations.

Bank Definition

A bank represents a financial institution that deals with cash inflows, withdrawals, credits, and other financial transactions. It provides money to those in need, collects deposits, and works as a go-between for lenders and borrowers. They will not only deal with money but are also the producers of the money.

Banks have existed since the creation of the first currencies, and even before that money (the means of exchange) did not exist prior to the invention of money. People would obtain the goods through the barter system, which was in existence at the time. In exchange for other items or services, goods and services are exchanged. Two people, each with certain things, would enter into an agreement. A trading agreement the tax on products may have been reasonable in the ancient world. However, it was difficult to transport, and such a sum was not acceptable. The empires needed to pay for the trade of goods. Items with greater ease Coins of the United States are used in place of ephemeral banknotes. Various metals and sizes were used. The central bank and reserve banks are now the monetary authorities in charge of managing the currency, money supply, and interest rates.

Financial Institutions 

A financial institution is defined as a national or international entity that primarily engages in financial or monetary transactions, such as loans, deposits, investments, currency exchange, or any other transaction of a similar nature. Banks, trust and insurance companies, credit unions, financing companies, securities firms, leasing companies, and other financial organizations are included in this category. Financial institutions are a significant part of the financial services industry in this regard.

Private or public, national or worldwide, financial institutions come in all shapes and sizes. Financial institutions are frequently classified as financial banking institutions on the one hand, and financial non-banking entities on the other. Commercial banks, whose primary function is to handle loans and deposits, as well as more broadly everyday banking transactions, are examples of banking financial entities. Investment banks, insurance firms, and leasing companies are examples of non-banking financial entities with specialized and technical tasks. Investment banks, for example, are primarily responsible for advising businesses and governments on how to address their financial difficulties and providing them with a greater understanding of certain operations.

Financial institutions are critical because they serve as a marketplace for money and assets, allowing capital to be properly allocated to the most productive uses .A financial institution, for example, takes deposits from customers and loans the money to borrowers. Without the bank as a middleman, it’s improbable that any one person will be able to discover an eligible borrower or understand how to service the loan. As a result, the depositor can earn interest through the bank. Similarly, investment banks seek out investors to sell a company’s stock or bonds to.

Deposits 

Although the phrase “deposit” is most commonly associated with financial transactions, it can also be applied to other situations. This term can be used both as a noun and as a verb. Deposits, as a noun, refer to a customer’s money held at a bank or other deposit that is also utilised when a quantity of money is used as a guarantee for the delivery of goods or the use of services. Before entering into futures contracts, traders should make deposits with institutions such as brokerage firms. Certain contracts, such as a deed of fair dealing, necessitate a down payment before delivery. There are two types of depositor financial organisations.

Transaction deposits are made into checking accounts, meaning that the monies are liquid and available right away. A in the banking sector. Demand deposits and time deposits are examples of this.

Time Deposit

A time deposit is money that is placed in a bank for a specific length of time in order to receive interest. You cannot withdraw money whenever you desire, unlike a demand deposit. A Fixed Deposit, for example, keeps your money locked away for a set period of time. Then there’s the Recurring Deposit, which requires you to deposit a particular amount at regular intervals for a given period of time. The deposit term is set for a specific amount of time, and depending on the type of time deposit you pick, the bank will give you cumulative or non-cumulative interest. Time deposits pay a greater interest rate than demand deposits, such as a Savings Account.

Demand Deposit

The term “demand deposit” refers to the deposit of funds into an account that permits a depositor to withdraw his or her cash at any time. The checking account is a common example of a demand deposit.

Depositors can withdraw their monies at any time, and there is no limit to the number of transactions they can conduct on their checking accounts. However, this does not preclude the bank from charging a fee for each transaction.

Financial Services 

The finance sector provides services to both individuals and corporations.. The financial firms that make up this sector of the economy include banks, investment houses, lenders, finance companies, real estate agencies, and insurance companies.. As previously said,  with profits and share price dominating the world, the services company is by far the most important part of the economy. Large multinationals dominate this industry, although it also includes a diverse range of smaller enterprises.

Thousands of depository banks, investment product providers, insurance companies, other credit and financing organisations, and providers of vital financial utilities and services support these operations are all part of the Financial Services Sector. Financial institutions range in size and presence from some of the world’s largest multinational corporations with thousands of workers and billions of dollars in assets to small community banks and credit unions servicing specific localities. Whether it’s a personal savings account, financial derivatives, credit granted to a huge company, or investments in a foreign country, these products enable users to:

  • Make deposits and payments to third parties.

  • Customers are given credit and liquidity.

  • Invest for both long and short periods of time.

  • Customers’ financial risks are shared.

Conclusion 

A bank is a financial entity that accepts public deposits, originates demand deposits, and makes loans at the same time. The bank can lend directly or indirectly through capital markets. Financial institutions, also known as banking institutions, are commercial companies that function as middlemen in many forms of financial monetary transactions.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

How do banks determine a borrower’s working capital needs?

Answer: Banks have been instructed to develop loan rules guiding the extension...Read full

What is cluster finance and how does it work?

Answer: The goal of a cluster-based approach to lending is to provide a full-s...Read full

What is the procedure for depositing funds into a government account?

Answer: Fill out the necessary challans of the Government/Department concerned...Read full

What role does the Reserve Bank of India have in the Goods and Services Tax regime?

Answer: The Reserve Bank of India is the accounting aggregator for all GST col...Read full

What role does the Reserve Bank of India have in the conduct of government banking transactions?

Answer: RBI is required under Section 20 of the RBI Act 1934 to handle the Cen...Read full

Answer: Banks have been instructed to develop loan rules guiding the extension of credit to small and medium-sized businesses that have been authorised by their boards of directors. Banks, on the other hand, have been instructed to set limitations only after a thorough assessment of the borrowers’ true working capital needs, taking into account their business cycle and short-term loan needs. Working capital limitations for SSI businesses are calculated based on a minimum of 20% of their expected turnover up to a credit limit of 5 crore, according to the Nayak Committee Report.

Answer: The goal of a cluster-based approach to lending is to provide a full-service approach to meeting the different demands of the MSE sector, which can be accomplished by expanding banking services to identified MSE clusters. A cluster-based strategy may be more advantageous (a) when dealing with well-defined and recognised groups (b) when relevant information for risk assessment is available (c) when lending institutions are monitored, and (d) when expenses are reduced.

As a result, banks have been encouraged to approach it as a thrust area and to use it more frequently for SME financing. Banks have also been urged to create more MSE-focused branch offices in various MSE clusters that can also serve as MSE counselling centres. Each of the lead banks.

Answer: Fill out the necessary challans of the Government/Department concerned for all money to be credited to a government account, such as taxes or other remittances. Taxpayers are encouraged to make electronic payments to the government by logging onto their individual government portals. If customers choose to pay their bills with cash, check, or demand draft, they must do so at an authorised agency bank branch along with the proper challan.

Answer: The Reserve Bank of India is the accounting aggregator for all GST collections in the various government accounts. The GST for challans created by tax payers online on the GST portal is collected by agency banks, which submit the collections to the RBI for settlement to government accounts. The RBI has also made it easier for tax payers to pay GST directly into government accounts at the RBI by using the NEFT/RTGS payment options available on the GST portal.

Answer: RBI is required under Section 20 of the RBI Act 1934 to handle the Central Government’s revenues and payments, as well as carry out exchange, remittance, and other banking operations, including the management of the Union’s public debt. Furthermore, RBI has the authority to conduct Union government business in India under Section 21 of the same Act.

RBI conducts state government transactions in accordance with the agreement reached with state governments under section 21 A of the Act. Currently, such agreements exist between RBI and all state governments, with the exception of Sikkim’s.

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