by All India Financial Institutions (AIFI) is a group composed of development finance institutions and investment institutions that play a pivotal role in the financial markets. Also known as “financial instruments”, the financial institutions assist in the proper allocation of resources, sourcing from businesses that have a surplus and distributing to others who have deficits – this also assists with ensuring the continued circulation of money in the economy. Possibly of greatest significance, the financial institutions act as an intermediary between borrowers and final lenders, providing safety and liquidity. This process subsequently ensures earnings on the investments and savings involved
In Post-Independence India, people were encouraged to increase savings, a tactic intended to provide funds for investment by the Indian government. However, there was a huge gap between the supply of savings and demand for the investment opportunities in the country.
National Level Financial Institutions
- Bank of Baroda
Started on 20th July 1908, under the Companies Act of 1897 that has now translated into a strong, trustworthy financial body, The Bank of Baroda.
The Bank orchestrated its business strategies around the centrality of the customer. It diversified into areas of merchant banking, housing finance, credit cards and mutual funds.
- Bank of India
Bank of India is a premier and one of the oldest commercial banks in India, with presence all over India as also in all time zones of the world. The Bank has a glorious history dating back to the early years of this century. The Bank was founded in September 1906 and has all along maintained a position of pride among the top 5 commercial banks in the country.
- Canara Bank
Canara Bank is one of the premier banks in the country, accredited with umpteen distinctions. The present stature of the Bank is due to its strong fundamentals and quality customer orientations. Profit making since inception, the Bank today epitomizes a perfect blend of commercial and social banking.
- Central Bank of India
Established in 1911, Central Bank of India was the first Indian commercial bank which was wholly owned and managed by Indians. The establishment of the Bank was the ultimate realisation of the dream of Sir Sorabji Pochkhanawala, founder of the Bank. Sir Pherozesha Mehta was the first Chairman of a truly ‘Swadeshi Bank’. In fact, such was the extent of pride felt by Sir Sorabji Pochkhanawala that he proclaimed Central Bank as the ‘property of the nation and the country’s asset’. He also added that ‘Central Bank lives on people’s faith and regards itself as the people’s own bank’.
- Corporation Bank
Established in the year 1906, Corporation Bank is an organization based on the traditional Indian values of service to the community. Corp Bank is regarded as one of the well-run banks in the comity of Public Sector Banks in the country. Corporation Bank is the first Public Sector Bank to publish the results under US GAAP. The Bank has been publishing the results under the US GAAP since 1998-99.
- Dena Bank
Dena Bank, in July 1969 along with 13 other major banks was nationalized and is now a Public Sector Bank constituted under the Banking Companies (Acquisition & Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970. Under the provisions of the Banking Regulations Act 1949, in addition to the business of banking, the Bank can undertake other business as specified in Section 6 of the Banking Regulations Act, 1949.
- Dhanalakshmi Bank
Dhanalakshmi Bank was incorporated on 14th November 1927 by a group of enterprising entrepreneurs at Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala. It became a Scheduled Commercial Bank in the year 1977. It has today attained national stature with 180 branches and 26 Extension Counters spread over the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal. The Bank serviced a business of Rs. 4223 crores as on 31.03.06 comprising deposits of Rs.2533 crores and advances of Rs.1690 crores. As at the end of March 2006, the Capital Adequacy Ratio of the Bank was 9.75% well above the mandatory requirement of 9%. The Bank made a net profit of Rs.9.51 crores for the year ended 31st March 2006.
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
NABARD is established as a development Bank, in terms of the Preamble of the Act, “for providing and regulating Credit and other facilities for the promotion and development of agriculture, small scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts and other allied economic activities in rural areas with a view to promoting integrated rural development and securing prosperity of rural areas and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
Features of NABARD
(i) Serves as an apex financing agency for the institutions providing investment and production credit for promoting the various developmental activities in rural areas;
(ii) Takes measures towards institution building for improving absorptive capacity of the credit delivery system, including monitoring, formulation of rehabilitation schemes, restructuring of credit institutions, training of personnel, etc. ;
(iii) Co-ordinates the rural financing activities of all institutions engaged in developmental work at the field level and maintains liaison with Government of India, State Governments, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other national level institutions concerned with policy formulation; and
(iv) Undertakes monitoring and evaluation of projects refinanced by it.
- Oriental Bank of Commerce
Established in Lahore on 19th February 1943, Oriental Bank of Commerce made a modest beginning under its Founding Father, Late Rai Bahadur Lala Sohan Lal, the first Chairman of the Bank.
- State Bank of India
State Bank of India was constituted on 1 July 1955. More than a quarter of the resources of the Indian banking system thus passed under the direct control of the State. Later, the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act was passed in 1959, enabling the State Bank of India to take over eight former State-associated banks as its subsidiaries (later named Associates).
The Bank is actively involved since 1973 in non-profit activity called Community Services Banking. All the branches and administrative offices throughout the country sponsor and participate in large number of welfare activities and social causes. Business is more than banking because we touch the lives of people anywhere in many ways.
