Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: SGB Scheme
Why in the News?
Recent reports suggest that the government might reduce or discontinue the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) scheme due to its high cost.
Decline in Popularity of SGB:
- This speculation follows the Union budget’s decision to slash customs duties on gold and silver from 15% to 6%.
- The reduction in customs duties is expected to decrease demand for SGBs, which has already led to a 2-5% drop in their prices on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
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About Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs)
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Details |
Launch |
2015 |
Nature |
- Government securities denominated in grams of gold.
- Issued by RBI.
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Objective |
Reduce dependence on gold imports and shift savings from physical gold to paper form. |
Eligibility |
Resident in India, including individuals, HUFs, trusts, universities, and charitable institutions. |
Denomination and Tenor |
- Denominated in multiples of grams of gold, with a basic unit of 1 gram.
- Tenor of 8 years with an exit option from the 5th year on interest payment dates.
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Investment Limits |
- Minimum: 1 gram of gold.
- Maximum: 4 kg for individuals and HUFs,
- 20 kg for trusts and similar entities per fiscal year.
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Benefits |
- Quantity of gold protected, receiving market price at redemption.
- Eliminates storage risks and costs.
- Assured market value at maturity and periodic interest.
- Free from making charges and purity issues.
- Held in RBI books or demat form, eliminating scrip loss risk.
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Add-ons |
- Can be used as collateral for loans.
- Loan-to-value (LTV) ratio set equal to ordinary gold loans.
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PYQ:
[2016] What is/are the purpose/purposes of Government’s ‘Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme’ and ‘Gold Monetization Scheme’?
- To bring the idle gold lying with Indian households into the economy
- To promote FDI in the gold and jewellery sector
- To reduce India’s dependence on gold imports
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3 |
https://indianexpress.com/article/business/commodities/gold-customs-duty-may-take-some-shine-off-sovereign-gold-bonds-9485686/
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