Liquidity Adjustment Facility
Full Form of LAF
What is LAF?
The Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) is a key monetary policy tool used by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to manage liquidity in the banking system. It allows banks to borrow or lend money to the RBI on an overnight basis against government securities. The LAF consists of two main components: the repo rate (at which RBI lends to banks) and the reverse repo rate (at which RBI borrows from banks). By adjusting these rates, the RBI influences short-term interest rates and controls money supply, thereby ensuring price stability and economic growth. Introduced in 2000 as part of the financial sector reforms, the LAF is conducted daily through auctions and serves as the operating framework for the RBI's monetary policy. For banking exams, understanding LAF is crucial because it forms the backbone of the RBI's liquidity management and is frequently tested in questions related to monetary policy instruments. The facility helps smooth out short-term liquidity mismatches and signals the central bank's policy stance to the market.
LAF का फुल फॉर्म
तरलता समायोजन सुविधा
Example
The RBI conducted a Liquidity Adjustment Facility auction today, absorbing excess liquidity from the banking system through the reverse repo window.