RBI Discontinues Special Refinance Facility (SRF) for Banks
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/194 · issued 27 Oct 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI has discontinued the Special Refinance Facility (SRF) for scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) with immediate effect. Banks can no longer avail fresh refinance under this facility, and any outstanding amounts must be repaid within 90 days from the first day of utilisation.
The rule, in the simplest words
RBI has stopped the Special Refinance Facility (SRF) – a special loan program for banks – right away.
Banks cannot take any new money from this program anymore.
If a bank already borrowed money from this program, it must pay it back within 90 days from the day it first used the money.
This program was only for big banks (scheduled commercial banks), not for small rural banks (RRBs).
How it plays out — a real example
A branch operations officer in Indore, Priya, checks her bank's records and sees they borrowed ₹2 crore under the SRF last month. She immediately tells her treasury team that they must repay this full amount within 90 days from the first day they used it, because RBI has stopped the program and no new loans are allowed.
What changed
The RBI has discontinued the Special Refinance Facility (SRF) under Section 17(3B) of the RBI Act, 1934, effective October 27, 2009. This facility previously allowed scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) to avail refinance up to 1.0% of their NDTL as on October 24, 2008, at the repo rate for up to 90 days.
What it means for you
Banks lose access to a low-cost liquidity window that was available at the repo rate. Outstanding borrowings under this facility must be repaid within the original 90-day period from the first utilisation date, as per the November 3, 2008 circular. This signals RBI's confidence in systemic liquidity and a gradual withdrawal of crisis-era support.
What you must do
Stop availing any fresh refinance under the SRF immediately.
Ensure all outstanding SRF amounts are repaid within 90 days from the first utilisation date.
Review your bank's liquidity position to adjust for the loss of this facility.
Monitor RBI's future liquidity management operations for alternative funding options.
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Treasury and liquidity management teams at banks, Banks that had outstanding borrowings under the SRF
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Stated effective dateeffective October 27, 2009
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 08:25 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
What was the Special Refinance Facility (SRF)?
The SRF allowed scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) to borrow from RBI up to 1.0% of their NDTL as on October 24, 2008, at the repo rate for a maximum of 90 days, with flexible draw and repayment.
What happens to existing SRF borrowings after discontinuation?
Any outstanding amounts under the SRF must be repaid within the stipulated 90-day period from the first day of utilisation, as per the original circular dated November 3, 2008.
Why did RBI discontinue the SRF?
The discontinuation was announced in the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2009-10, indicating RBI's view that the emergency liquidity support was no longer needed.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/194
Ref.No.MPD.BC.1438/02.01.005/2009-10
October 27, 2009
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(excluding Regional Rural Banks)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Special Refinance Facility (SRF) under
Section 17(3B) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Please refer to our circulars Ref.No.MPD.BC.309/02.01.009/2008-09 dated November 3, 2008 and MPD.BC.322/02.01.009/2008-09 dated April 22, 2009 regarding the Special Refinance Facility (SRF) under Section 17(3B) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. In terms of this facility all scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) are provided refinance from the Reserve Bank equivalent to up to 1.0 per cent of each bank's net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) as on October 24, 2008 at the repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) up to a maximum period of 90 days during which refinance can be flexibly drawn and repaid.
2. As indicated in the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2009-10 announced today, it has been decided to discontinue this facility with immediate effect. Accordingly, banks cannot avail fresh refinance from the Reserve Bank under the facility. Outstandings under this facility, if any, should be repaid within the stipulated time of 90 days from the first day of utilisation as mentioned in the circular Ref.No.MPD BC.309/02.01.009/2008-09 dated November 3, 2008.
Yours faithfully,
(Janak Raj)
Adviser-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/194 · issued 27 Oct 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Monitor RBI's future liquidity management operations for alternative funding options.
📜 Compliance
Stop availing any fresh refinance under the SRF immediately.
Ensure all outstanding SRF amounts are repaid within 90 days from the first utilisation date.
Review your bank's liquidity position to adjust for the loss of this facility.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), Treasury and liquidity management teams at banks, Banks that had outstanding borrowings under the SRF), your first concrete step on “RBI Discontinues Special Refinance Facility (SRF) for Banks” is: “Stop availing any fresh refinance under the SRF immediately.” (RBI issued this 27 Oct 2009).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/194 -- RBI Discontinues Special Refinance Facility (SRF) for Banks
Issued: 27 Oct 2009
Action required: Stop availing any fresh refinance under the SRF immediately.
Action required: Ensure all outstanding SRF amounts are repaid within 90 days from the first utilisation date.
Action required: Review your bank's liquidity position to adjust for the loss of this facility.
Action required: Monitor RBI's future liquidity management operations for alternative funding options.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 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=5329&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.
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