RBI’s Jackpot: Government Hits Rs 2.69 Lakh Crore Dividend Bonanza

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has delivered a historic financial boost to the central government, approving a record dividend transfer of Rs 2.69 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. This unprecedented surplus payout, finalized at the RBI’s 616th Central Board meeting chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, marks a 27.4% jump from last year’s already record-high transfer.
Key Highlights:

Record Surplus: The Rs 2.69 lakh crore dividend is the biggest ever at RBI, beating last year's Rs 2.1 lakh crore payout and also the FY26 government budgeted estimate.

Boon to Fiscal Health: The bonanza will help the Centre trim its fiscal deficit, and the government aims to lower it to 4.4% of GDP for this fiscal. The new money will be utilized to support ongoing capital expenditure and tax relief.

Revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF): The surplus transfer is based on the revised ECF, with the RBI’s contingency risk buffer (CRB) hiked to 7.5% from 6.5%. This move reflects a more cautious approach amid global uncertainties and ensures robust financial stability.

Drivers of the Surplus: The record payout is attributed to strong gains from foreign exchange sales, improved returns on overseas assets, and increased interest income from government securities.

Liquidity Injection: Economists are predicting that the government's spending of this dividend will inject massive liquidity into the banking system, and the estimates are for banking liquidity to go up to as high as Rs 6 lakh crore.

Board's Scrutiny: The Central Board took into account international and domestic economic situations, risk, and performance of the RBI for the year while approving the transfer.

This dividend bonanza not only strengthens the government’s fiscal position but also signals the RBI’s confidence in India’s macroeconomic resilience.

Source: The Economic Times