RBI Annual Report: Central bank's income zooms 146.5% to Rs 1.93 lakh crore in FY19

The balance sheet size of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased by 13.42 per cent to Rs 41.03 lakh crore for the year ended June 30, 2019 from Rs 36.18 lakh crore in the same period last year. The increase was due to rise in domestic and foreign investments by 57.19 per cent and 5.70 per cent, respectively and increase in gold by 16.30 per cent.

The central bank's income zoomed by 146.59 per cent to Rs 1.93 lakh crore during the year 2018-19, as compared to Rs 0.78 lakh crore in the previous year's period, RBI said in its Annual Report released on August 29. The significant part of the jump was aided by 'other income' which surged multi-folds to Rs 86,199 crore from Rs 4,410 crore as on June 30, 2018. The other income comprises of commission, exchange gain, rent realised, profit on sale of rupee and foreign securities and miscellaneous income.

RBI's interest income jumped 44.62 per cent to Rs 1.06 lakh crore, while expenditure dipped to Rs 17,045 crore from Rs 28,277 crore in 2017-18, helped by lower provisions. The expenditure on printing of notes fell by 2 per cent to Rs 4,811 crore.

The RBI ended the year with an overall surplus of Rs 1.76 lakh crore as against Rs 50,000 crore in the previous year, a growth of 251.97 per cent, which clearly indicated that it has one of the highest levels of financial resilience globally.

Click here to Enlarge

This year's annual report came days after the RBI announced to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore surplus money to the government amid the economic slowdown.

Also Read: Diagnosis of type of economic slowdown difficult: RBI annual report

As per annual report for FY19, the central bank's contingency fund, utilised in meeting unexpected contingencies, declined by 15.51 per cent to Rs 1.96 lakh crore as of June 30, 2019, compared to Rs 2.32 lakh crore in the year-ago period, as it paid Rs 52,000 crore excess fund to the government.

As of June 30, 2019, the RBI's total assets constituted of 28.03 per cent of domestic assets and 71.97 per cent of foreign currency and gold. In the previous year, the share of domestic assets and foreign currency and gold stood at 23.18 per cent and 76.82 per cent, respectively.

Also Read: Currency notes circulation increased 6.2% in FY19: RBI Annual Report

The RBI held 618.16 metric tonnes of gold as of June 30, 2019 as compared to 566.23 metric tonnes last year. RBI's foreign exchange gains climbed to Rs 28,998 crore as against a loss of Rs 4,067 crore in the previous year.

Loans and advances to the central government decreased from Rs 55,435 crore as on June 30, 2018 to Rs 26,531 crore as on June 30, 2019, whereas loans and advances to state governments increased from Rs 1,493 crore from Rs 2,666 crore in the last fiscal.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar