October 24, 2007

Chairmen / Chief Executive Officers
All Commercial Banks
(excluding RRBs)

Reserve Bank had issued guidelines on ALM system vide Circular No. DBOD. BP. BC. 8 / 21.04.098/ 99 dated February 10, 1999, which covered, among others, interest rate risk and liquidity risk measurement / reporting framework and prudential limits. As a measure of liquidity management, banks are required to monitor their cumulative mismatches across all time buckets in their Statement of Structural Liquidity by establishing internal prudential limits with the approval of the Board / Management Committee. As per the guidelines, the mismatches (negative gap) during the time buckets of 1-14 days and 15-28 days in the normal course, are not to exceed 20 per cent of the cash outflows in the respective time buckets.

2. Having regard to the international practices, the level of sophistication of banks in India and the need for a sharper assessment of the efficacy of liquidity management, these guidelines have been reviewed and it has been decided that :

(a) the banks may adopt a more granular approach to measurement of liquidity risk by splitting the first time bucket (1-14 days at present) in the Statement of Structural Liquidity into three time buckets viz. Next day , 2-7 days and 8-14 days.

(b) the Statement of Structural Liquidity may be compiled on best available data coverage, in due consideration of non-availability of a fully networked environment. Banks may, however, make concerted and requisite efforts to ensure coverage of 100 per cent data in a timely manner.

(c) the net cumulative negative mismatches during the Next day, 2-7 days, 8-14 days and 15-28 days buckets should not exceed 5 % ,10%, 15 % and 20 % of the cumulative cash outflows in the respective time buckets in order to recognise the cumulative impact on liquidity.

(d) banks may undertake dynamic liquidity management and should prepare the Statement of Structural Liquidity on daily basis. The Statement of Structural Liquidity, may, however, be reported to RBI, once a month, as on the third Wednesday of every month.

3. The format of Statement of Structural Liquidity has been revised suitably and is furnished at Annex I. The guidance for slotting the future cash flows of banks in the revised time buckets has also been suitably modified and is furnished at Annex II. The format of the Statement of Short-term Dynamic Liquidity may also be amended on the above lines.

4. To enable the banks to fine tune their existing MIS as per the modified guidelines, the revised norms as well as the supervisory reporting as per the revised format would commence with effect from the period beginning January 1, 2008 and the reporting frequency would continue to be monthly for the present. However, the frequency of supervisory reporting of the Structural Liquidity position shall be fortnightly, with effect from the fortnight beginning April 1, 2008.

Yours faithfully,