As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations, the minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) requirement for NBFC-Micro Finance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs) is:
General Knowledge
Indian Economy
Difficulty: Hard
Choose an option
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A₹2 Crore
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B₹3 Crore
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C₹5 Crore
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D₹7 Crore
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E₹10 Crore
Answer
Correct Answer: ₹5 Crore
Explanation
### Concept & Financial Regulations
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates a minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) to ensure financial stability and solvency of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
### Step-by-Step Solution
* **Understand NOF:** Net Owned Fund essentially represents the core capital of a financial institution, proving it has enough skin in the game.
* **RBI Mandates:** Under the revised regulatory framework for NBFCs, the base requirement varies by type.
* **NBFC-MFI Specification:** For a standard NBFC-Micro Finance Institution (NBFC-MFI), the RBI requires a minimum NOF of **₹5 Crore**. (Note: For NBFC-MFIs registered in the North Eastern Region of India, the requirement is slightly lower at ₹2 Crore, but the standard national requirement is ₹5 Crore).
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
Memorize key banking numbers. NBFC general NOF was increased to ₹10 Crore recently, but MFIs (Micro Finance Institutions) have a distinct threshold of ₹5 Crore to encourage micro-lending operations without prohibitive capital barriers.
### Common Pitfall
Confusing the standard NBFC NOF requirement (₹10 Crore) with the specific NBFC-MFI requirement (₹5 Crore). Always read the specific category of the institution.
### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer is **₹5 Crore**.