This chapter introduces financial infrastructure — the network of banks, payment systems, stock markets and other financial institutions that help people, businesses and the government manage money and make transactions. It explains what banks do through the example of Navdeep, who deposits his savings, and Rima, who takes a loan to run her business. Banks accept deposits in savings, current and fixed deposit accounts, paying interest, and lend money as loans, charging higher interest; the difference is a source of income for banks. The chapter explains the powerful idea of compounding — earning interest on previous interest — illustrated by the story of the king and the sage who asked for grains of rice doubling on each square of a chessboard. It describes other financial institutions like post offices and NABARD, and the Reserve Bank of India as the 'banker to banks' and central bank that issues currency and sets benchmark interest rates. It covers the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which gave crores of Indians access to bank accounts, and payment modes and systems — cheques, debit cards, POS machines, internet banking, mobile payments and especially UPI, 'India's gift to the world'. It explains the stock market, where people buy and sell shares, and warns about financial frauds and how to prevent them.
Financial infrastructure and banksDeposits, loans and compoundingThe Reserve Bank of IndiaPayment systems and UPIThe stock market and financial safety
Key terms
Financial infrastructure
The network of banks, payment systems, stock markets and other institutions that help people, businesses and government manage money and make transactions.
Bank
A financial institution that collects money from people as deposits and lends money to borrowers as loans.
Compounding
The process of earning interest not just on the original amount but also on the interest earned in previous years, making money grow over time.
Reserve Bank of India
India's central bank, the 'banker to banks', which supervises the banking system, issues currency and fixes benchmark interest rates.
UPI
The Unified Payments Interface, a fast and secure digital payment system launched in 2016 that enables instant transfers using a QR code or phone number.
Share
A unit of ownership in a company; buying a share makes a person a part-owner, and shares are traded on a stock exchange.
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