Retail investors can now open account with RBI to trade in govt bonds

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Common investors can now purchase and sell government bonds through the RBI’s announced Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) account. Earlier, the retail investors were not allowed to deal with RBI. Through this  facility, investors can now transact in government securities through RBI.

According to reports, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a bond-buying window for common investors who can invest regularly. Below are the nine pointers investors should know before buying trading in bonds through the RBI account:

Govt bonds

The bonds on offer for the retail investors include Government of India Treasury Bills, Government of India dated securities, Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB), and State Development Loans (SDLs).

Account opening

Retail investors can open this account provided they have a savings bank account maintained in India and have a permanent account number (PAN) issued by the income tax department. Also, non-residents Indians (NRIs) are allowed to invest in these government bonds.

Registration

Investors can register on the web portal by completing the online form and using the OTP sent to their registered mobile number and email address to authenticate and submit the form. A ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ will be created upon successful registration, and instructions for accessing the web portal will be sent through SMS/e-mail. Further, this account can be opened by an alone investor or jointly with another retail investor who meets the qualifying requirements.

Secondary market deals

Retail investors can access the secondary market transaction link on the online portal to trade in government securities.

No fee

Retail investors will not be charged any fee for opening and maintaining an RDG account with RBI. However, the fee for the payment gateway will have to be paid by the retail investors.

Account statement

The investors will also be provided with the account statements that will include transaction history and the balance position of securities holdings through the link provided by the RDG account. The transactions alerts would be sent to retail investors through e-mail and SMS.

Two nominees

Under this account, there can be a maximum of two nominees. In the event of the death of a registered investor, the RDG Account will be transferred to the nominee on the submission of the death certificate and transmission form.

Grievance redressal

Investors can also raise queries or grievances related to the RDG account, which will be resolved by Public Debt Office (PDO) Mumbai, RBI.

Risk-free deposits

The web portal on which retail investors can open an account is yet to be announced. These deposits are risk-free and suitable for investors looking for low-risk investments and a one-stop solution to facilitate their investment in government securities.