Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/208 · issued 05 Nov 2009 · ~1 min read
Quick answerFrom Nov 21, 2009, scheduled commercial banks must include CBLO transaction liabilities in NDTL for CRR calculation. Only three exemptions remain: inter-bank liabilities, ACU credit balances, and OBU deposits.
The rule, in the simplest words
From November 21, 2009, banks must include CBLO (a type of short-term loan between banks) liabilities in NDTL (total deposits and borrowings) for CRR (cash kept with RBI) calculation.
Only three types of liabilities are still exempt from CRR: loans between banks, ACU (Asian Clearing Union) dollar balances, and OBU (Offshore Banking Unit) deposits.
Use the reporting Friday of November 6, 2009 as the base for the first affected fortnight starting November 21, 2009.
This rule increases the cash banks must keep with RBI, reducing money available for lending.
How it plays out — a real example
A credit & lending officer in Indore, Priya, reviews her bank's CBLO borrowings from CCIL. She updates the system to include these in NDTL for CRR calculation from November 21, 2009, ensuring only inter-bank loans, ACU dollar balances, and OBU deposits are exempt. This means her bank must hold more cash with RBI, so she adjusts liquidity plans to avoid a shortfall.
What changed
Previously exempted CBLO liabilities are now included in NDTL for CRR maintenance from the fortnight starting November 21, 2009. The base for this change is the reporting Friday of November 6, 2009. Only three categories remain exempt: inter-bank liabilities, ACU dollar credit balances, and OBU demand/time liabilities.
What it means for you
Banks will need to hold additional CRR on CBLO-related liabilities, increasing their reserve requirements and potentially reducing lendable funds. This aligns with RBI's monetary tightening stance in the Second Quarter Review of 2009-10. Banks should review their CBLO exposure and adjust liquidity planning accordingly.
What you must do
Include CBLO transaction liabilities in NDTL for CRR computation from Nov 21, 2009 fortnight
Use the reporting Friday of Nov 6, 2009 as base for the first affected fortnight
Update internal systems to exclude only the three specified exempt categories from NDTL
Review liquidity buffers to accommodate higher CRR requirements
Who it affects
All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs), Treasury and ALM teams, Compliance departments
❓ Common questions
Which liabilities are now exempt from CRR?
Only three categories: liabilities to the banking system under Section 42(1)(d), credit balances in ACU (US$) accounts, and demand/time liabilities of Offshore Banking Units.
When does this change take effect?
From the fortnight beginning November 21, 2009. The base NDTL for that fortnight uses the reporting Friday of November 6, 2009.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/208
DBOD. No. Ret. BC.57/12.01.001/2009-10
November 05, 2009
All Scheduled Commercial Banks,
(Excluding Regional Rural Banks)
Dear Sir,
Maintenance of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) on Exempted Categories
Please refer to our circular DBOD. No. Ret. BC. 84 /12.01.001/2006-07 dated April 20, 2007 on the captioned subject and the Master Circular DBOD. No. Ret.BC.45/12.01.001/2009-10 dated September 18, 2009 on Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutary Liquidity Ratio (SLR).
2. As announced in the Second Quarter Review of Monetary Policy 2009-10 released on October 27, 2009, it has been decided that liabilities of scheduled commercial banks arising out of transactions in Collaterised Borrowing and Lending Obligations (CBLO) with Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL) shall be subject to maintenance of CRR with effect from the fortnight beginning November 21, 2009. Accordingly, net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) reckoned for CRR shall include liabilities arising out of CBLO transactions for the reporting Friday of November 6, 2009 which forms the base for computation of CRR for the fortnight beginning November 21, 2009. For the subsequent fortnights, NDTL reckoned for CRR maintenance wiil continue to include liabilities arising out of CBLO transactions.
3. Accordingly, with effect from fortnight beginning November 21, 2009, only following liabilities would be exempted for computation of NDTL under section 42(1) of Reserve bank of India Act, 1934.
Liabilities to the banking system in India under clause (d) of the explanation to Section 42(1) of the RBI Act, 1934.
Credit balances in ACU (US$) Accounts.
Demand and Time Liabilities in respect of their Offshore Banking Units (OBUs).
Yours faithfully,
(P. K. Mahapatra)
General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/208 · issued 05 Nov 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Update internal systems to exclude only the three specified exempt categories from NDTL
📜 Compliance
Include CBLO transaction liabilities in NDTL for CRR computation from Nov 21, 2009 fortnight
Use the reporting Friday of Nov 6, 2009 as base for the first affected fortnight
Review liquidity buffers to accommodate higher CRR requirements
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 RRBs), Treasury and ALM teams, Compliance departments), your first concrete step on “CRR on CBLO Transactions: Nov 2009 Update” is: “Include CBLO transaction liabilities in NDTL for CRR computation from Nov 21, 2009 fortnight” (RBI issued this 05 Nov 2009).
Circular: RBI/2009-10/208 -- CRR on CBLO Transactions: Nov 2009 Update
Issued: 05 Nov 2009
Action required: Include CBLO transaction liabilities in NDTL for CRR computation from Nov 21, 2009 fortnight
Action required: Use the reporting Friday of Nov 6, 2009 as base for the first affected fortnight
Action required: Update internal systems to exclude only the three specified exempt categories from NDTL
Action required: Review liquidity buffers to accommodate higher CRR requirements
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
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.
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=5348&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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