It has been clarified that voluntarily pledged gold and silver for loans up to the specified collateral-free limit will not be considered a violation of existing collateral-free lending guidelines. The aim is to enhance credit flow without contravening regulatory intent, provided that the collateral is pledged voluntarily by the borrower and within the defined limits. However, the exemption regarding voluntary collateral use does not apply to RRBs, State Cooperative Banks, and District Central Cooperative Banks, as per the earlier Master Direction.