The Central government and the RBI have taken several measures to encourage retail investment in the G-Sec market. These include introduction of non-competitive bidding in primary auctions, permitting stock exchanges to route primary purchases and allowing a specific retail segment in the secondary market. In continuation of these efforts, the central bank has proposed to provide retail investors with online access to both primary and secondary gilt markets directly through the Retail Direct platform.

“As a part of continuing efforts to increase retail participation in government securities and to improve ease of access, it has been decided to move beyond aggregator model and provide retail investors online access to the government securities market along with the facility to open their gilt securities account (Retail Direct) with the RBI. Details of the facility will be issued separately,” the central bank has said in a statement.