RBI to issue final guidelines on M-Banking

Mumbai, July 25:: Reserve bank is likely to finalise guidelines on mobile banking within two weeks that would enable banks to roll-out mobile-based payment services to their customers, a senior RBI official said on Friday.

"We are presently examining the comments received in response to the draft guidelines issued. Based on this, the final guidelines would be issued within a period of two weeks," Reserve Bank's Executive Director, R B Barman said on the sidelines of a seminar.

Issuing the draft guidelines for M-banking in June this year, the apex bank had asked banks to allow customers to perform transactions even using the most basic mobile phones.

As per the draft guidelines, banks can use SMS-based facilities to perform small-ticket payments upto Rs 1,500.

A host of lenders, including leading public-sector lenders, State Bank of India and Union Bank, are on the final stages of launching their M-Banking services, which would benefit millions of customers to transfer money through mobile phones.

Recently, the apex bank had asked banks to put their mobile-payment services on hold till it issues the final guidelines on the matter.

"We have to see the various aspect of the mobile-payment service, especially the security aspects of such transactions prior to allowing banks the implementation.

We would also examine the functioning of similar services by those banks who presently offer the service," Barman said.