The Gold Monetisation Scheme enables individuals (households) and institutions to deposit their gold holdings with the banks by earning interest. The deposit is treated as a term deposit in the form of gold. So one can deposit his gold lying idle in bank lockers by earning interest at the same time.
The scheme allows the depositors of gold to earn interest in their metal accounts and the jewellers to obtain loans in their metal account.
There are 3 gold deposit schemes as
The scheme would allow an investor to deposit gold in Short Term Bank Deposits (STBD) and Medium and Long Term Government Deposit (MLTGD). The tenure of a Short Term Bank Deposit is 1-3 years. The Medium and Long Term Government Deposits can be opened for 5 -7 years and 12-15 years respectively. There will be different rate of interests for different tenures.
The Short Term Bank Deposit would be accepted by individual banks on their own account. But the Medium and Long Term Government Deposits would be accepted by banks on behalf of the Government of India based upon notification issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
How it generally works?
When a customer brings in gold to the counter of specified agency or bank, the purity of gold is determined and exact quantity of gold is credited in the metal account. The deposited gold will be lent by banks to jewellers at an interest rate little higher than the interest paid to customer, same as money in deposited in accounts and lend.
However at the time of redemption, one will not get the same form of gold deposited because it would be melted.
Benefits of the scheme:
- You earn interest for your gold coins bought in the past from banks/jewellers lying in your locker.
- Gold lying in your locker appreciates in value if gold price goes up but does not pay you interest. Instead you pay bank locker charges on the same. Now, coins and bars can earn interest apart from the appreciation of value.
- Your gold will be securely maintained by the bank.
- The scheme would benefit the country by reducing its gold import.
- The schemes offers flexibility. You can withdraw your investment/gold as and when you need it.
Some facts about the scheme:
- The gold can be in any form, bullion or jewellery.
- The minimum quantity of deposits is 30 gram.
- There is no maximum limit of investment under this scheme.
- The scheme allows premature withdrawal after a minimum lock-in period.
- The tenure of gold deposits is a minimum of one year.
- Customer will have the choice to take cash or gold on redemption, but the preference has to be stated at the time of deposit.
- Joint Accounts are allowed.
- The scheme would offer interest rate up to 2.50% per year.
- Interest payment calculations would be on the gold price locked at the time of deposit and not on the ongoing prevailing price of gold.
- The GSM was proposed during the 2015-16 union budget by the then Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley.
- It was launched in the year 2015 by Prime Minister shri Narendra Modi.
