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Union Minister of Labour and Employment <keyword id="19906409" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mansukh-mandaviya" source="keywords">Mansukh Mandaviya</keyword> and Chairperson of the Central Board of Trustees, EPF, have given the green light to the proposal for a Centralised <keyword id="23037839" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pension-Payment-System" source="keywords">Pension Payment System</keyword> (<keyword id="23039389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CPPS" source="keywords">CPPS</keyword>) under the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995. According to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, this initiative represents a major advancement by establishing a national-level centralised system, allowing pension disbursement through any bank or branch across India. Commenting on this development, Mandaviya stated, "The approval of the Centralised Pension Payment System (CPPS) marks a significant milestone in the modernization of the <keyword id="19966712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EPFO" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="EPFO" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="EPFO">EPFO</keyword>. By enabling pensioners to receive their pensions from any bank, any branch, anywhere in the country, this initiative addresses the long-standing challenges faced by pensioners and ensures a seamless and efficient disbursement mechanism." He added, "This is a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to transform the EPFO into a more robust, responsive, and tech-enabled organisation, committed to serving the needs of its members and pensioners better." The CPPS is expected to benefit over 7.8 million <keyword id="21992385" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EPS-Pensioners" source="keywords">EPS pensioners</keyword> of EPFO. By leveraging advanced IT and banking technologies, it aims to provide a more efficient and user-friendly experience for pensioners. The CPPS will also ensure seamless pension disbursement across India, eliminating the need to transfer Pension Payment Orders (PPO) when a pensioner relocates or changes their bank or branch. This will be a significant relief for pensioners who move to their hometowns post-retirement. This facility will be launched on January 1, 2025, as part of EPFO's ongoing <keyword id="23015602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IT-Modernization" source="keywords">IT modernization</keyword> project, Centralised IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01). In the following phase, CPPS will enable a smooth transition to an <keyword id="20028363" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aadhaar-based-Payment-System" source="keywords">Aadhaar-based payment system</keyword> (ABPS). The CPPS marks a significant departure from the current decentralised pension disbursement system, where each EPFO Zonal/Regional Office maintains separate agreements with only 3-4 banks. Pensioners will no longer need to visit branches for verification at the start of their pension, as it will be credited immediately upon release. Additionally, EPFO anticipates a significant reduction in disbursement costs with the new system.

EPS Pensioners to get pension from any bank, any branch, anywhere in India from January 1, announces Mansukh Mandaviya

<keyword id="22661695" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Regulatory-moves" source="Orion">Regulatory moves</keyword> discouraging <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword>' <keyword id="22661696" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="derivative-market-bets" source="Orion">derivative market bets</keyword> may help the <keyword id="59197" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banking-system" source="Orion">banking system</keyword> garner the much-needed <keyword id="6496248" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deposits" source="Orion">deposits</keyword>, <keyword id="46004" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-Chairman" source="Orion">SBI Chairman</keyword> <keyword id="1937145" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dinesh-Kumar-Khara" source="Orion">Dinesh Kumar Khara</keyword> has said. Khara said the budget announcements like the tweaks on the short-term and long-term capital gains will not lead to much gains from a deposit accretion perspective. "<keyword id="20031465" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="FO" source="keywords">F&amp;O</keyword> (future and options) kind of things are being discouraged for the retail (investor) by the regulator. Those who are resorting to such kind of an instrument, they might come back to the banking system," Khara told PTI over the weekend. It can be noted that concerns over losses incurred by 90 per cent of investors in the derivative trades have led to fears of household savings being blown in speculation rather than being deployed for productive purposes among policymakers. As per <keyword id="20033427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="capital-markets" source="keywords">capital markets</keyword> regulator Sebi, retail investors lost Rs 52,000 crore in such activity in FY24 alone which necessitates a clampdown. Sebi has come up with a seven-point plan to reduce such trades, while some moves in the Union Budget are also targeted to reduce such activities. For the last three years, the deposit growth is unable to keep pace with credit expansion, and Khara said the money is going into alternative avenues like capital markets. He, however, stressed that the bank account is the primary avenue for parking the savings and continue to attract interest, and reminded that there was a phase of deposit growth trailing credit growth in 2011 as well witnessed by the banking system. At present, concerns are being raised about the wedge between the deposit and credit growth leading banks to go slower on granting loans, which can be be detrimental for the overall economic growth. <keyword id="19898108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SBI" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="SBI">SBI</keyword>, the country's largest lender which commands over a fifth of market share, is targeting a credit growth of 15 per cent in FY25 and a deposit growth of 8 per cent, Khara said. Stating that the bank will try to get the deposit growth at 10 per cent, he made it clear that the credit growth target can be achieved even with a slower pace of deposit growth of 8 per cent due to its liquidity position. The bank chose to deploy excess deposits in the past into its investment book and is currently unwinding the same as it caters to the credit demand, Khara said. He said the bank's liquidity coverage ratio stands at 128 per cent and it has decided to keep it over 110 per cent.

Discouraging retail play in F&O may help banks garner deposits: SBI Chairman

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): The <keyword id="6354335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="Orion">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) has released a draft framework on alternative <keyword id="20470059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="authentication" source="keywords">authentication</keyword> mechanisms to supplement the SMS-based OTP system for digital <keyword id="22624644" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="payment-transactions" source="keywords">payment transactions</keyword>. The RBI noted, "No specific factor was mandated for authentication, but the <keyword id="19989657" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="keywords">digital payments</keyword> ecosystem has primarily adopted SMS-based OTP as <keyword id="22624645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="additional-factor-of-authentication" source="keywords">Additional Factor of Authentication</keyword> (AFA). While OTP is working satisfactorily, technological advancements have made available alternative authentication mechanisms." The draft discusses the Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA), which involves using more than one factor to authenticate a payment instruction. It requires that the process validate and confirm the credentials of the customer initiating the payment. Furthermore, the draft specifies that issuers must obtain explicit consent from customers before enabling any new authentication factor. Customers should also have the option to deregister from using the new authentication method. The draft states, "All digital payment transactions, other than card present transactions, shall ensure that one of the factors of authentication is dynamically created, i.e., the factor is generated after initiation of payment, is specific to the transaction and cannot be reused." Additionally, the draft mandates that issuers must have a system to alert customers in near real-time for all eligible digital payment transactions. It also prohibits transaction issuers from entering into exclusive arrangements with any Payment Service Provider or Technology Service Provider, which could limit their ability to implement alternative authentication solutions. RBI has proposed <keyword id="22624646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-mandates" source="keywords">e-mandates</keyword> for <keyword id="21970493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="recurring-transactions" source="keywords">recurring transactions</keyword> in mutual funds, insurance premiums, credit card bill payments for values up to Rs 1 lakh and in respect of all other categories for value up to Rs 15,000. The banking regulator also suggests that issuer shall be liable for the process and technology deployed for authenticating digital payments. There should also be a system of alerting the customer in near real time for all digital payment transactions. The draft notes that small value card present transactions up to Rs 5000 per transaction in contactless mode at Point of Sale (PoS) terminals are exempt from the AFA requirement. The central bank has invited comments and feedback on the draft framework until September 15, 2024. The proposed alternative authentication mechanisms aim to provide more choices for authentication factors to Payment System Operators and users.

RBI proposes alternative methods for authentication of digital payments, in addition to SMS-based OTP system

<keyword id="19922074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank">Reserve Bank</keyword> Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said surge in top-up <keyword id="21191532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="housing-loans" source="keywords">housing loans</keyword> is not a system-wide issue but confined to few entities. Briefing media after the announcement of bi-monthly monetary policy review, Das said, "regulatory requirements in top-up housing loans are not being followed by certain entities and it is not a system-level problem." Such cases are being dealt at the supervisory level bilaterally, he said. Banks and <keyword id="19938300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NBFCs" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NBFCs" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NBFCs">NBFCs</keyword> have also been offering top-ups on other collateralised loans like gold loans. "Such practices may lead to loaned funds being deployed in unproductive segments or for speculative purposes. Banks and NBFCs would, therefore, be well-advised to review such practices and take remedial action," he said. Therefore, he said, banks should adhere to regulatory prescriptions relating to loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, risk weights and monitoring of end use of funds with regard to top-ups. Das further said that the divergence between loan and deposit growth may create asset liability mismatch or <keyword id="22712997" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="liquidity-management-issue" source="keywords">liquidity management issue</keyword>. It may potentially expose the banking system to structural liquidity issues, he said. He urged banks to mobilise deposits through innovative products and services by leveraging their vast branch network. On inflation, Das said, it is moderating but the pace of disinflation is uneven and slow. Pinning hopes on monsoon, which is 7 per cent higher than long-term average so far, the Governor said, it will have a good impact on Kharif output as well as Rabi because of improvement in moisture content in the soil. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-wants-to-re-enter-the-quick-commerce-business-to-take-on-blinkit-and-swiggy-instamart/articleshow/112364583.cms" target="_blank">Ola wants to re-enter the quick commerce business to take on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-mpc-meet-cheque-clearing-time-reduced-upi-limit-increased-for-tax-payment/articleshow/112366099.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-mpc-meet-cheque-clearing-time-reduced-upi-limit-increased-for-tax-payment/articleshow/112366099.cms" target="_blank">RBI MPC meet – Cheque clearing time reduced, UPI limit increased for tax payment</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-curvv-ev-with-up-to-585-km-range-launched-starting-at-17-49-lakh/slidelist/112342769.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-curvv-ev-with-up-to-585-km-range-launched-starting-at-17-49-lakh/slidelist/112342769.cms" target="_blank">Tata Curvv EV with up to 585 km range launched starting at ₹17.49 lakh</a>

Surge in top-up housing loans not system-wide issue, says RBI Governor

<div type="image" title="The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books." agency="ANI" msid="114778648" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds. But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire. <h2>The Wild West of <keyword id="113684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microfinance" source="Orion">microfinance</keyword> and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India. Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system. In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans. Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, IndusInd Bank set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book. See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e. an NPA, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad? Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing! <ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you. <h2> Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers. As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these. In 2022, RBI, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer. So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it. Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?” Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and <keyword id="20117932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navi-finserv" source="keywords">Navi Finserv</keyword> from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds. To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending instalments of the borrower’s previous loan. Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honour any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs. Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time. <h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%. While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans. In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree! <h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies. Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days. Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself. While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis. Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs. Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its gross NPA for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter. IDFC Bank’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis. Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024. Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.” There has been uninhibited growth in <keyword id="6051027" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unsecured-loan" source="Orion">unsecured loan</keyword>s, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. <keyword id="6376194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kotak-mahindra" source="Orion">Kotak Mahindra</keyword> Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards. <h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far. But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical <keyword id="19897820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="keywords">Bollywood</keyword> headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist. However, that's a story for another day. Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or personal experience to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

<ul><li><keyword id="19896939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Flipkart" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> is offering a huge deal on the <keyword id="21364120" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iPhone-15-Plus" source="keywords">iPhone 15 Plus</keyword></li><li>The phone can be yours for under Rs 65,000</li><li>Other offers are available too</li></ul> Smartphones are a big part of our lives now and are no longer just a way to keep in touch. They’ve become our cameras, entertainment centres, work tools, and sometimes, even our escape. So, when it’s time to upgrade, you want to make sure you’re getting something that’s truly worth the investment. If you are an iPhone user and want to upgrade, or if you are looking to buy your very first iPhone, Flipkart might have something for you this Diwali. <h2>Flipkart’s Diwali offer on iPhone 15 Plus </h2> Right now, Flipkart’s <keyword id="23545955" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali-sale" source="keywords">Diwali sale</keyword> is offering a pretty tempting deal on the iPhone 15 Plus. Originally priced at ₹79,900, you can snag this beauty for just ₹65,999. This substantial discount makes it one of the most attractive offers on the market. But that’s not all. If you have an old smartphone lying around, you can exchange it and receive even greater discounts on the iPhone 15 Plus. This trade-in option allows you to save more, putting a premium device within reach without breaking the bank. Additionally, if you use an SBI bank card, you can snag an extra ₹1,000 off your purchase, making this deal even sweeter. This special offer is available until October 31. <h2>About the iPhone 15 Plus </h2> So, what makes the iPhone 15 Plus worth considering? For starters, its 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display is a game changer. Whether you’re streaming your favourite shows, scrolling through social media, or gaming, the visual quality is nothing short of stunning. The display features ProMotion technology, ensuring smooth scrolling and fluid animations, enhancing your overall experience. Under the hood, the <keyword id="21673274" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="A16-Bionic-chip" source="keywords">A16 Bionic chip</keyword> powers this device, making it one of the fastest processors in the smartphone market. It handles multitasking with ease, allowing you to switch between demanding apps without any lag. Gaming enthusiasts will appreciate the phone’s ability to run graphic-intensive games smoothly. The <keyword id="20389151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="camera-system" source="keywords">camera system</keyword> on the iPhone 15 Plus is another highlight. With a triple-lens setup and a primary 48MP sensor, you can capture sharp and vivid photos. The upgraded Ultra Wide and Telephoto lenses offer versatility, whether you’re photographing landscapes or zooming in on intricate details. And let’s not forget about the battery life. The iPhone 15 Plus is designed to keep up with your busy day, eliminating the need to constantly search for a charger. With features like an under-display fingerprint sensor for easy unlocking and a USB-C port for faster charging, this phone looks like it is built for convenience. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/iphone-15-pro-available-at-lowest-ever-price-on-flipkart-here-is-all-about-the-deal/articleshow/113804340.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">iPhone 15 Pro available at lowest ever price on Flipkart, here is all about the deal</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphone-16-pro-is-already-cheaper-than-the-iphone-15-pro-in-india-but-you-can-get-it-for-up-to-30000-cheaper/articleshow/113220789.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">iPhone 16 Pro is already cheaper than the iPhone 15 Pro in India, but you can get it for up to ₹30,000 cheaper</a>

Thinking of upgrading your smartphone? iPhone 15 Plus can be yours for under ₹65,000

The Reserve Bank on Friday announced the launch of a mobile app to enable <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword> to participate in government securities (<keyword id="21202837" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="G-Secs" source="keywords">G-Secs</keyword>) or <keyword id="20283766" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-bonds" source="keywords">government bonds</keyword> market. <keyword id="21202838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi-retail-direct-scheme" source="keywords">RBI Retail Direct Scheme</keyword>, launched in November 2021, gives access to individual investors to maintain gilt accounts with the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> and invest in government securities. The Scheme enables investors to buy securities in primary auctions as well as buy/sell securities through the <keyword id="382785" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Negotiated-Dealing-System" source="Orion">Negotiated Dealing System</keyword> - <keyword id="21202839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Order-Matching-system" source="Orion">Order Matching system</keyword> (NDS-OM) platform. "To further improve ease of access, a mobile application of the Retail Direct portal is being developed. The app will enable investors to buy and sell instruments on the go, at their convenience. The app will be available for use shortly," RBI Governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> said, while announcing the first bi-monthly monetary policy for the current fiscal. The government is planning for gross market borrowing of Rs 14.13 lakh crore for 2024-25. Out of this Rs 7.5 lakh crore, or 53 per cent, is scheduled to be borrowed in the first half (H1). In a separate announcement, RBI permitted non-bank payment system operators to offer Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) wallets to encourage its wider use. Currently, CBDC pilots in the retail and wholesale segments are underway with more use-cases and more participating banks. "Continuing with this approach, it is proposed to make CBDC-Retail accessible to a broader segment of users in a sustained manner, by enabling non-bank payment system operators to offer CBDC wallets," he said. This is expected to enhance access and expand choices available to users apart from testing the resiliency of the CBDC platform to handle multi-channel transactions, he said, adding, necessary changes will be made to the system to facilitate this. In November 2022, the pilot of the wholesale CBDC, known as the Digital Rupee-Wholesale (e-W), was launched with the use case being limited to the settlement of secondary market transactions in government securities. In the following month, RBI rolled out a pilot in the retail version of the CBDC (e-R).

RBI to soon launch app to enable retail investors to participate in govt bonds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mastercard, an international card-payment-services company, interacts with banks worldwide.</li><li>The company has used AI to try to identify when customers may be about to be defrauded.</li></ul>For "CXO AI Playbook," Business Insider takes a look at mini case studies about AI adoption across industries, company sizes, and technology DNA. We've asked each of the featured companies to tell us about the problems they're trying to solve with AI, who's making these decisions internally, and their vision for using AI in the future.Since 1966, Mastercard has been a provider of payment-card services to the world's biggest banks and millions of consumers. The company is adapting to the constantly evolving threats scammers and criminals pose to its customers.<h2 id="ec04abf8-6dc5-4015-93f4-02f9ad5ed95c">Situation analysis: What problem was the company trying to solve?</h2>"For decades, payment fraud used to be people using your card details that they'd either bought, found, or counterfeited, either in person or online," Chris Reid, the executive vice president of identity solutions at Mastercard, told Business Insider.But trends in payment fraud have changed — and banks and card providers have to keep up. One of the key new trends in fraud, Reid said, is what's known as authorized-push-payment fraud, where a scammer persuades someone to send them money by pretending to be a reliable figure, such as a bank, public authority, or romantic partner.Understanding when a card user is about to send a lot of money — and lose it — to a scammer is tricky, Reid said. "How can we detect you are a victim or about to be a victim of crime?" he asked. The company believes artificial intelligence can help identify when that fraud is about to occur.<h2 id="b3cf2d12-27c1-409c-b92f-616d9a187a34">Key staff and partners</h2>The development of an AI fraud-detection system began as a pilot program in the UK. At Mastercard, the teams working on the project included Reid's identity group, the security and cyberinnovation team, and the open-banking team, which works on connecting competing banks with one another.<div type="image" title="chris reid headshot" height="1463" width="1951" msid="111691425" hostid="261" sizebytes="75034"></div>Reid said he believed the work couldn't have been done without buy-in from banks in the UK, including Lloyds Bank, NatWest, and TSB Bank, which put aside their rivalries to work together."This only works when we all come together," Reid said. "The nice thing we see around fraud and security is, every day, the banks are competing to win. On fraud and security, we're all competing to beat fraudsters."<h2 id="6fd30701-463a-4b66-b855-30c65acda283">AI in action</h2>With the support of those banks, the teams at Mastercard began developing an AI system to identify signs in the accounts of both victims and scammers that someone was about to be defrauded."We give our bank customers a three-dimensional view of the two accounts in question," Reid said.Mastercard's AI system is trained on data from both legitimate and fraudulent payment activities. Using this information, it monitors and identifies suspicious transaction behaviors and looks at data, such as payee names, to identify suspect transactions.It can also look at secondary and tertiary relationships linked to a fraudster's bank account."Crime needs to find a way out of the legitimate financial ecosystem," Reid said. "You tend to find funds flow out into various mule or drop accounts."The system provides an AI-powered risk score for transactions and accounts in real time, alerting the banks if Mastercard suspects a payment is being made to a known fraudster.<h2 id="0de6e3ad-c6e8-47ff-8ec6-6585acb0a367">Did it work, and how did leaders know?</h2>Reid said TSB "has been really transparent in helping us understand the efficacy of the solution."Based on the scale of the fraud prevented among TSB's customers, if it was extrapolated across the UK banking sector, "everything else being equal," the AI system would save an estimated £100 million, or $126 million, in the UK alone, Reid told BI.He added that Mastercard's tech was "really good" at identifying "impersonation scams, romance scams, and purchase scams."<h2 id="4b10d7e8-3d1f-4e76-a240-334aa7a6ce4a">What's next?</h2>Mastercard needs to keep up with scammers, Reid said."Fraud is an incredibly successful industry," he added. "Fraudsters are investing in product development and their own efficiency."For that reason, Mastercard plans to expand its AI systems. Currently, the system provides an AI-identified risk score for the potential victim's account. By the end of 2024, Mastercard wants to provide a risk score for scamming suspects to try to raise awareness among banks about their customers."That doubles the ability for us to stop the money getting to the criminals," he said. "We can tell the scammer's bank, 'This is a high-risk transaction; you might want to delay releasing the funds."Mastercard is also working to create more practical applications for the risk score, which is useful to banks at a high level but perhaps not for rank-and-file bank employees tasked with supporting victims."Contact-center agents, in this case, are trained and knowledgeable in fraud, but we need to be able to turn the score into something that's useful," he said. "We're working to be able to ultimately stop that crime."We want to hear from you. If you are interested in sharing your company's AI journey, email <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jhood@businessinsider.com">jhood@businessinsider.com</a>.

Mastercard's AI system is helping banks keep fraudsters in check — and it could save millions of dollars

<keyword id="19895282" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mumbai" source="keywords">Mumbai</keyword>, <keyword id="19922074" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank" source="keywords">Reserve Bank</keyword> Governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> on Monday said the endeavour of the central bank would be to provide a stable and strong financial system over the next decade, which will act as the bedrock for the country's economic progress. Over the years, the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) has emerged as a symbol of stability, resilience and commitment to the welfare of our citizens, he said at an event to mark the 90th anniversary of the RBI. "As we move towards RBI at 100, the Reserve Bank remains focussed on a stable and strong financial system that would act as the bedrock for our country's economic progress," he said. The Reserve Bank is constantly evaluating the emerging trends and taking necessary policy measures to remain in sync with the changing times, he said, adding the central bank's effort is to anticipate situations and take proactive measures. Das highlighted that the Reserve Bank's evolution as an institution has been closely intertwined with the development of the Indian economy. "We are a full-service central bank with our functions spanning multiple dimensions. It has been our endeavour to promote a financial sector that is robust, resilient, and future-ready," he said. Talking about structural reforms, he said, the enactment of the <keyword id="19901118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="insolvency" source="keywords">Insolvency</keyword> and Bankruptcy Code and the adoption of flexible inflation targeting in recent years, have helped to deal with the challenges in the banking system and the task of maintaining price stability more effectively.

Stable, strong financial system to act as bedrock for economic progress: RBI Governor

The recent PayTM saga exposed how <keyword id="19912054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-institutions" source="keywords">financial institutions</keyword> are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain sufficient security measures to ensure user authenticity and identity. Now, many fintech platforms are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to address these challenges. A leading voice in this conversation is <keyword id="23488603" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Ayyappan" source="keywords">Rahul Ayyappan</keyword>, the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of <keyword id="23488605" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finacus-Solutions" source="keywords">Finacus Solutions</keyword> Pvt. Ltd. With over a decade of experience in shaping digital solutions for over 200 banks and financial institutions, Rahul sheds light on how AI can play a transformative role in addressing the issue of deepfakes and even strengthening eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) systems. <h2><keyword id="20095213" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition" source="keywords">Facial recognition</keyword> technology </h2>AI algorithms can analyse facial features in-depth, detecting subtle inconsistencies that are often overlooked by human eyes. By examining dermal texture, facial feature depth, and lighting uniformity, AI can identify discrepancies indicative of deepfakes. Furthermore, AI can analyse the temporal consistency of facial movements in videos, identifying irregularities that may signal tampering. <h2>Behavioural analysis </h2>AI's ability to analyse micro-expressions, those brief, involuntary facial expressions that reveal genuine emotions, is crucial in detecting deepfakes. These expressions are difficult to replicate in fabricated media, making them a reliable indicator of authenticity. Additionally, AI can evaluate gait and gesture analysis, identifying inconsistencies that may suggest deepfake manipulations. <h2>Consistency checks </h2>AI can cross-reference data from various sources, such as document scans and live video KYC sessions, to identify inconsistencies in age, gender, or other demographic information. Geospatial validation can also be used to verify if the location of the eKYC session aligns with the user's stated address. <h2><keyword id="19897671" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="machine-learning" source="keywords">Machine learning</keyword> models </h2>AI models can be trained on vast datasets of real and fake images and videos to learn to identify patterns and anomalies associated with deepfakes. These models can continuously adapt and improve their accuracy as new deepfake techniques emerge. <h2>Integration with ancillary technologies </h2>Combining AI with other technologies, such as blockchain and thermal imaging, can further enhance <keyword id="22209857" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="deepfake-detection" source="keywords">deepfake detection</keyword> capabilities. Blockchain provides an immutable ledger of verified data, while thermal imaging can detect heat patterns on the face that are difficult to replicate in synthetic media. By leveraging these advanced AI techniques, <keyword id="23488602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eKYC-systems" source="keywords">eKYC systems</keyword> can significantly improve their ability to detect deepfakes and protect against identity theft and other fraudulent activities. As deepfake technology continues to evolve, AI will play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and security of digital <keyword id="20470058" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="identity-verification" source="keywords">identity verification</keyword> processes. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="99803720" title="Aadhaar authentication rose to 2.31 billion in March 2023: IT Ministry data" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Fintech expert shares 5 ways AI can help detect deepfakes in eKYC systems

The Indian <keyword id="22196321" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-card-industry" source="keywords">credit card industry</keyword> is struggling to grow, as new issues slow down on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. Not only has the growth i.e. issuance of new credit cards slowed down, but lenders are also becoming increasingly cautious of the asset qualities, a recent report by Nomura showed. From 19% in July 2024, the growth in the <keyword id="6368202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-card" source="Orion">credit card</keyword> spendings came down to 13% in August 2024. The year-to-date (YTD) growth has also significantly declined in FY25, currently standing at 17%, markedly down from 28% in FY24. For the fifth consecutive month, the number of new credit cards added to the system remained well below the 1-million, or 10 lakh mark. Around 9.2 lakh credit cards were added during the month, a slight uptick from the 7.55 lakh cards that came into the system In July 2024. However, there is growth in this space nevertheless, with about 10.55 crore active credit cards at present, marking a 15.6% YoY increase. Even the annualised spend per card, or the average amount spent via an annual card during an year grew 1% YoY to Rs 1.87 lakh. But this was far less than the 7% growth annual spends via one credit card saw in FY24. Meanwhile, what continues to burgeon consistently is the outstanding amount on these credit cards, which ballooned to Rs 2.7 lakh crore in June 2024, up from Rs 2.6 lakh crore in March 2024, and around Rs 2 lakh crore in the year ago period. To put this in perspective, pre-pandemic, the total outstanding amount stood at Rs 87,686 crore, which marks a 24% CAGR in this amount, in just a span of 5 years. <h2>Large drops, slowdown to sustain</h2>Even the monthly expenditure per card dropped 2% YoY to Rs 16,000 in August, 2024. Subsequently, the transaction volume via credit cards also dipped to 1.6% in August, along with the total amount of <keyword id="21084888" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="credit-card-spending" source="keywords">credit card spending</keyword>, which fell to Rs 1.69 lakh crore in August, from Rs 1.73 lakh crore in July. Also, there has been a hefty cutdown in provisions made for credit card reward points, which reflects in the quantum of credit card benefits that have been mowed out by companies of late, making credit cards far less lucrative than before. <h2>HDFC takes lead </h2>During August 2024, <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC bank</keyword> added a total of 2.41 lakh credit cards, taking its total tally of active credit cards to 2.19 crore. <keyword id="19900482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICICI-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ICICI Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ICICI Bank">ICICI Bank</keyword> came a second distant, adding 1.45 lakh credit cards during the month, which means that the second-largest credit card issuer now holds over 1.75 crore active credit cards. Axis Bank and SBI Cards also added 1.27 lakh and 1.1 lakh cards, respectively to their repertoire during the month, while the growth numbers at Kotak Mahindra Bank remained largely flat, stagnating the bank's total card tally at 54.13 lakh. This was due to the ongoing ban on the bank due to its weak IT infrastructural issues imposed by RBI in April 2024. If anything, the bank's number of credit cards declined by 61,191 during the month. Even as the festive season approaches, experts think that it is unlikely to make a major dent in credit card spendings, which are expected to see a further slowdown in the quarters to come.

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