HomeCirculars › RBI/2005-06/95

Non-SLR Investment Norms Eased for Co-op Banks

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2005-06/95 · issued 04 Aug 2005 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI now allows co-operative banks to invest in non-SLR securities (PSU bonds, AFI bonds/equity) without prior approval, subject to six conditions including NABARD compliance, no defaults, and board approval. Total investment capped at 10% of deposits.

What changed

Earlier, co-operative banks needed RBI's case-by-case approval for non-SLR investments. Now, banks meeting six conditions (NABARD NODC discipline, full credit needs met, no NABARD/CRR/SLR defaults, State Act provision, Registrar's no-objection, compliance with B.R. Act, and not under directions) can invest without prior RBI nod. The 10% deposit cap and 5% sub-ceiling for PSU bonds remain unchanged.

What it means for you

This gives compliant co-operative banks more operational flexibility to deploy surplus funds into non-SLR securities without waiting for RBI clearance. It reduces regulatory friction for well-run banks while maintaining safeguards. Banks must still ensure all legitimate credit needs are met first and keep their Regional Office informed.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

State Co-operative Banks, District Central Co-operative Banks

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the investment limit for non-SLR securities under this circular?

Total investment in PSU bonds and AFI bonds/equity cannot exceed 10% of the bank's total deposits as of March 31 of the previous year, with a sub-ceiling of 5% for PSU bonds.

Do we still need RBI approval if we don't meet all six conditions?

Yes, banks that do not comply with all six conditions must continue to obtain prior RBI approval on a case-to-case basis as before.

What should we do after making a non-SLR investment under this relaxed route?

You must keep the concerned RBI Regional Office informed about the investment, even though prior approval is not required.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #2784: RPCD.CO.RF.BC.26/07.02.03/2005-06 — "Investment Portfolio of Banks - Non-SLR Investments" dated August 4, 2005”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2005-06/95 RPCD.CO.RF.BC.26/07.02.03/2005-06 August 4, 2005 All State and District Central Co-operative Banks Dear Sir, Investment portfolio of banks- non-SLR investments Please refer to our circulars RPCD.No.BC. 46/07.02.03-94/95 dated October 6, 1994, RPCD.RF.BC.No 62/07.02.03/2002-03 dated January 20, 2003 and RPCD.CO.RF.BC 65/07.02.03/2003-04 dated February 23, 2004 on the above subject. 2. As per the extant instructions, banks are allowed to invest in non-SLR securities with prior approval of RBI as under: a. bonds of public sector undertakings b. bonds/equity of All India Financial Institutions (AFIs) The total investment in (a) and (b) above should not exceed 10 per cent of the bank’s total deposits as on March 31 of the previous year, with a sub-ceiling of 5 per cent for investments covered under (a). 3. On a review, it has been decided to allow the banks to invest their genuine surplus funds in non-SLR securities without taking prior approval from Reserve Bank of India on case-to-case basis , subject to the following conditions: a. The bank should comply with Non Overdue Cover (NODC) discipline stipulated by NABARD; b. All legitimate credit needs of the co-operatives in the State/District should have been fully met; c. There should be no defaults in repayment of dues to NABARD and in the maintenance of the stipulated CRR and SLR; d. There should exist a provision for the proposed investment in the State Act and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies should have no objection for the banks making such investment; e. The bank should comply with the Section 11(1) of the B.R.Act, 1949 (AACS); and f. The bank is not placed under Directions under Section 35 A of the B.R.Act, 1949 (AACS) or issued a show cause notice under any Section of the B.R.Act, 1949 (AACS). [Note: However, the bank should keep the concerned Regional Office of RBI apprised of the non-SLR investment, in question.] 4. The banks, which do not comply with the above conditions, have to obtain prior approval from RBI for non-SLR investment on case-to-case basis as hitherto. 5. The contents of this circular may be placed before the Board of your bank. 6. Please acknowledge receipt to our Regional Office concerned. Yours faithfully, (K.Bhattacharya) General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2005-06/95 · issued 04 Aug 2005. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
Topics: Co-operative Banks
Key dataSee the live numbers behind this topic: RBI Penalty Tracker, NPA / Asset-Quality Tracker — updated from official RBI data.
Key termsPlain-English definitions of terms in this circular — see the full Indian banking glossary. KYC / AML · Gross NPA (GNPA) · Deposit insurance (DICGC) · Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB)

💬 Banker Discussion

Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.

Loading comments…
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly).
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=2421&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗