Tag: reserve bank of india

IOB, Central Bank privatisation bid runs into RBI hurdle, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to delay regularising struggling state-run lenders that are under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework as it has reservations over their capital adequacy levels.

This may derail the privatisation prospects of Indian Overseas Bank and Central Bank, which are reported to be among the four banks shortlisted by the government for privatisation.

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), UCO Bank and Central Bank of India are currently under the stringent PCA of RBI.

The RBI objection

In FY21, the government infused Rs 20,000 crore in ve banks through the instruments. Central Bank of India was the biggest beneficiary with Rs 4,800 crore, followed by Indian Overseas (Rs 4,100 crore), UCO Bank (Rs 2,600 crore).

However, the RBI has raised questions over the government’s bank capital infusion programme through non-interest-bearing bonds, according to a report.

The RBI reasons that capital infusion through bonds cannot be taken at face value and, therefore, these banks may still be short of regulatory capital, they said. In such a situation, they will continue under the PCA framework. Under the PCA regime, business restraints are imposed on struggling banks until they regain health.

The government went ahead despite RBI’s initial reservations and now the regulator has expressed serious concerns. The entire fund infusion through such bonds will then not count toward regulatory capital.

RBI is not inclined to pull these lenders out of the PCA framework based on such capital infusion and may further direct lenders to recalculate their capital adequacy ratio based on the actual value of the bonds.

The PCA status

All three banks under PCA Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank and Central Bank have reported net non-performing assets (NPAs) below levels that trigger PCA. However, on the proforma net NPA front, Central Bank falls short as its NNPA is 6.58% against the 6% required to be out of PCA.

Even after PCA exit, these banks may still be under RBI watch. In the case of IDBI Bank, which has committed to comply with the norms of minimum regulatory capital, net NPA and leverage ratio on an ongoing basis, RBI has said the lender would be under continuous monitoring. “It has been decided that IDBI Bank be taken out of PCA framework, subject to certain conditions and continuous monitoring,” RBI had said.

Privatisation bid

Four banks on the privatisation shortlist included Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and the Central Bank of India.

Two public sector banks and one general insurance company are expected to be disinvested this year in addition to the divestment of IDBI Bank, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced during Budget presentation last month.

Bringing the banks out of PCA could boost their valuations in the event of privatisation.



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RBI modifies norms for undertaking govt business by private banks, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank on Monday came out with modified guidelines that allow sound private sector banks to undertake government business, whether at the Centre or in states. According to the modified norms, scheduled private sector banks, which are not under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework of the RBI, can undertake government business after executing an agreement with the central bank.

“Scheduled private sector banks, not having agency banking agreement with RBI, but intend to handle government agency business, may be appointed as agents of RBI upon execution of an agreement with RBI.

“This will be subject to the condition that the concerned bank is not under PCA framework or moratorium at the time of making the application or signing of the agreement with RBI,” the central bank said in a notification.

It may be mentioned that the Finance Ministry in February 2021 had lifted the embargo imposed in September 2012 on further allocation of government business to private sector banks.

In view of the lifting of the embargo, the RBI has decided to revise the framework for authorising Scheduled Private Sector Banks as agency banks of RBI for conduct of government business.

The notification further said existing private Sector agency bank with whom RBI already has agency banking agreement and who are authorised to do government agency business may continue to do these government agency businesses for Central and/or State Governments without taking any fresh approval from the central bank.

It also said once RBI authorises a bank for any government business, separate approval from RBI with regard to mode (physical or e-mode) and area of operations is not required and the same will be decided by the CGA (for Central Government) or the Finance Department of the State Government, keeping the RBI informed in the matter.



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IBA CEO, BFSI News, ET BFSI

Banking & Finance

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National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL), the name coined for the bad bank announced in the Budget 2021-22, is expected to be operational in June.

Bad bank refers to a financial institution that takes over bad assets of lenders and undertakes resolution.

The new entity is being created in collaboration with both public and private sector banks, Indian Banks’ Association Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sunil Mehta said.

“Various preparatory work is going on and we hope that it should be operational next month. The biggest advantage of NARCL would be aggregation of identified NPAs (non-performing assets).

“This is expected to be more efficient in recovery as it will step into the shoes of multiple lenders who currently have different compulsions when it comes to resolving a bad loan,” he said.

NARCL will take over identified bad loans of lenders, Mehta said. He added that the lead bank with offer in hand of NARCL will go for a ‘Swiss Challenge’, where other asset reconstruction players will be invited to better the offer made by a chosen bidder for finding higher valuation of an NPA on sale.

The company will pick up those assets that are 100 per cent provided for by the lenders, he added.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2021-22 announced that the high level of provisioning by public sector banks of their stressed assets calls for measures to clean up the bank books.

“An Asset Reconstruction Company Limited and Asset Management Company would be set up to consolidate and take over the existing stressed debt,” she had said in the Budget speech. It will then manage and dispose of the assets to alternate investment funds and other potential investors for eventual value realisation, she added.

Last year, IBA had made a proposal for creation of a bad bank for swift resolution of non-performing assets (NPAs). The government accepted the proposal and decided to go for asset reconstruction company (ARC) and asset management company (AMC) model for this.

Mehta further said NARCL will pay up to 15 per cent of the agreed value for the loans in cash and the remaining 85 per cent would be government-guaranteed security receipts.

The government guarantee would be invoked if there is loss against the threshold value, he added.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that loans classified as fraud cannot be sold to NARCL. As per the annual report of the RBI, about 1.9 lakh crore of loans have been classified as fraud as on March 2020.

To facilitate smooth functioning of asset reconstruction companies, the RBI last month decided to set up a panel to undertake a comprehensive review of the working of such institutions.

After enactment of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act in 2002, regulatory guidelines for ARCs were issued in 2003 to enable development of this sector and to facilitate smooth functioning of these companies.

Since then, while ARCs have grown in number and size, their potential for resolving stressed assets is yet to be realised fully.



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RBI to conduct SLTRO of Rs 10,000 crore for small finance banks on May 17, BFSI News, ET BFSI

Banking & Finance

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The Reserve Bank on Friday said it will conduct the first auction for special long-term repo operations (SLTRO) of Rs 10,000 crore for Small Finance Banks (SFBs) on May 17. To provide further support to small business units, micro and small industries, and other unorganised sector entities adversely affected during the current wave of the pandemic, the RBI has decided to conduct SLTRO of Rs 10,000 crore at the repo rate for the SFBs, to be deployed for fresh lending of up to Rs 10 lakh per borrower.

The facility will be available till October 31, 2021.

In a statement, the Reserve Bank of India said it will conduct one auction for SLTRO each month.

“The first auction will be conducted on May 17, 2021, for Rs 10,000 crore. The unutilised portion of notified Rs 10,000 crore will be carried forward in each subsequent auction until fully utilised or till the last auction, whichever is earlier,” it said.

The SFBs participating in the scheme will have to ensure that the amount borrowed from the RBI should at all times be backed by lending to the specified segments till the maturity of the SLTRO.

Further, SFBs should endeavour to lend within 30 days from the date of availing the funds from the RBI.

In case of over-subscription of the notified amount, the allotment will be done on a pro-rata basis, the central bank said.

The minimum bid amount would be Rs one crore and multiples thereof.



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Group of Advisors to RBI’s Regulations Review Authority invites feedback and suggestions, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank of India has set up a Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0) initially for a period of one year from May 01, 2021. The RRA will review the regulatory prescriptions internally and seek suggestions for simplification and ease of implementation from RBI controlled entities and other stakeholders.

The RRA has formed an Advisory Group made up of representatives from regulatory entities, including compliance officers, to help the RRA achieve the objectives set out in RRA 2.0’s terms of reference. The Group will assist by finding areas/regulations/guidelines/returns that can be rationalised and submitting reports to RRA with recommendations/suggestions on a regular basis. The composition of the Group is as under:

1. S. Janakiraman, Managing Director, State Bank of India Chairman
2. T. T. Srinivasaraghavan, Former MD & Non-Executive Director, Sundaram Finance Member
3. Gautam Thakur, Chairman, Saraswat Co-operative Bank Ltd. Member
4. Subir Saha, Group Chief Compliance Officer, ICICI Bank Ltd Member
5. Ravi Duvvuru, President & CCO, Jana Small Finance Bank Member
6. Abadaan Viccaji, Chief Compliance Officer, HSBC India Member

The Group has decided to invite feedback and suggestions from all regulated entities, industry bodies, and other stakeholders to undertake its preparatory work. Suggestions and feedback should be emailed latest by June 15, 2021, with the subject line Suggestions to the Advisory Group of RRA.

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To get RBI funds at 4%, can lend at up to 20%, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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Last year it was fintech firms that got a boost from the digitisation wave in banking, this time small finance banks (SFBs) are getting a push.

The Rs 10,000-crore support from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as part of its pandemic relief measures announced on Monday is set to make small finance banks more competitive. The SFBs would get such funds at 4% for three years, which is significantly lower than their average cost of lending. The new facility would help them to get about 1-1.5% positive carry on the borrowed funds, even after investing the same amount into government securities as mandated by the central bank.

This window is an opportunity for SFBs with surplus g-secs to turn competitive as the lenders can deploy the available fund at a higher spread. Small banks generally lend at rates in the range of 10-20% depending on borrowers’ profile.

The banking system including small finance banks is sitting on a cash surplus of Rs 7.12 lakh crore.

Banks carrying surplus short-term securities could liquidate it and deploy the funds for lending.

SLTRO boost

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a special long-term repo operation (SLTRO) for small finance banks, amid the second wave of Covid cases in the country. The central bank will conduct the special operation of Rs 10,000 crore at repo rate, Das said.

“Small finance banks (SFBs) have been playing a prominent role by acting as a conduit for the last-mile supply of credit to individuals and small businesses,” Das said during an unscheduled address.

“To provide further support to small business units, micro and small industries, and other unorganised sector entities adversely affected during the current wave of the pandemic, it has been decided to conduct special three-year long-term repo operations of Rs 10,000 crore at repo rate for the SFBs, to be deployed for fresh lending of up to Rs 10 lakh per borrower,” Das said, adding that the facility will remain open till October 31, 2021.

Priority loans

The RBI also has decided to allow the classification of priority sector lending for loans given by small finance banks (SFB) to micro-finance institutions (MFI) for on-lending to individuals.

The decision has been taken to address the liquidity issues of MFIs amid the severe Covid crisis.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said: “In view of the fresh challenges brought on by the pandemic and to address the emergent liquidity position of smaller MFIs, SFBs are now being permitted to reckon fresh lending to smaller MFIs (with asset size of up to Rs 500 crore) for on-lending to individual borrowers as priority sector lending.” This facility will be available up to March 31, 2022.



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Covid surge sparks demand for Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code suspension yet again, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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With the Reserve Bank of India unveiling a rescue package that stops short of offering loan moratoriums, lenders now want suspension of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which was reanimated on March 24 after being suspended for a year.

Banks are planning to petition the government to keep the IBC process under suspension to help companies restructure their finance to face the renewed vigour of the pandemic, according to a report.

Also, the court proceedings are hampered due to the pandemic with courts hearing only urgent matters.

Experts are seeking an extension of IBC to 3-6 months and taking a call after that depending on the situation.

Industry body Assocham has also urged the government to reimpose a moratorium on taking debt-ridden firms to the NCLT under the IBC till December this year following the severe second wave of coronavirus. In a representation to the Finance Ministry, the chamber said that given the increasing pressure on businesses, it would be imperative to extend the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) moratorium to ensure that the pandemic “does not wreak havoc” on the economy.

Virtual hearings

With Maharashtra in partial lockdown to curb Covid-19 infections, experts have said that some high-stake bankruptcy cases in Mumbai could be affected by virtual hearings.

The disposal rate in virtual trials is quite low and could add to the pendency of cases if the state’s restrictions persist for a longerduration. While there has been no official notification, all case hearings in the state have shifted to the virtual platform.

There were more than 20,000 cases pending with the National Company Law Tribunal as of December 2020 and a bulk of them are with the Mumbai NCLT.

With the IBC suspension having been lifted, the number of applications is bound to increase rapidly. Online hearings could add to the existing pressure on the tribunals, which may lead to a further slowdown of resolutions through the IBC process.

The government recently issued an ordinance to provide a pre-packaged scheme – an efficient alternative insolvency resolution framework – for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This is set to quicken the resolution process and reduce litigation.

The status of IBC cases

Out of the total 3,774 cases or corporate insolvency resolution processes (CIRPs) filed since the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) came into existence in 2016, 1,604 cases, or 43 percent have closed, by way of resolution, liquidation or other means. The rest 57 percent are ongoing with many overshooting the 330-day maximum time limit.

Of the 1,604 closed cases, only 14 percent have found a resolution, whereas 57 percent have ended in the liquidation of the companies.

Interestingly, the 72% cases of CIRPs ending in liquidation were already defunct and under the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction.

About 312 cases have been closed on appeal or review or settled, 157 have been withdrawn; 914 ordered for liquidation and 221, saw approval of resolution plans.

The recovery rate for resolved cases under IBC is 44% with Rs 1.84 lakh crore recovered so far of the Rs 4.13 lakh crore admitted claims.

In case of the 12 large defaulters identified by RBI, the creditors recovered Rs 1.36 lakh crore from eight cases that have been resolved so far, with recoveries ranging from as low as 17 percent of claims in the case of Alok Industries, to almost 100 percent for Jaypee Infratech.



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Nine ways banks will benefit from the RBI’s Covid rescue package, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das has announced a slew of measures for the economy to fight Covid. These will help banks face pandemic distress better.

RBI has announced debt recast schemes to small businesses and MSMEs which had not participated in the resolution last year. This will enable banks to offer help to the sound borrowers who are facing trouble during the second Covid wave.

The new recast scheme offers more flexibility to banks as for a borrower whose debt was recast under the resolution framework last year, that moratorium period can be increased or the residual tenure can be stretched for up to two years.

Banks are also allowed to reassess the working capital limits for small units and MSMEs whose debt has been recast earlier, giving room to lenders to help borrowers.

RBI India has not announced a moratorium on loan and interest payments during the ongoing wave, giving much relief to banks. Moratoriums affect credit discipline, and with banks likely to take a hit on the ‘interest on interest’ burden for over Rs 2 crore loans offered during the last moratorium, they may be less inclined to fresh moratoriums.

Through the Rs 10,000 crore special three-year long-term repo operations, or SLTRO, Small Finance Banks can support small business units, micro as also other unorganised-sector ones, as it allows fresh credit of up to Rs 10 lakh per borrower. SFBs can also categorise fresh loans to smaller microfinance institutions that have assets of up to Rs 500 crore as priority sector loans.

The RBI has also extended the period for the relief given earlier this year, allowing banks relief from CRR on exposures of up to Rs 25 lakh to micro, small and medium enterprises.

The central bank has allowed lenders to use 100% of their floating and counter-cyclical provisions to make specific provisions for non-performing assets (NPAs). This will help them gear up for loan losses that may arise due to severe hit to several economic segments.

With banks reluctant to lend despite Rs 6 lakh crore surplus liquidity in the system, the RBI has incentivised banks by offering extra 60 basis points for surpluses parked in the reverse repo against the loans extended by banks. These loans will be classified as priority sector lending also and the banks need not take direct exposure but can pass on through another intermediary such as NBFC.

The RBI has relieved pressure on prices of bonds held by banks as it has announced another round of the GSAP-1 for Rs 35,000 crore. The central bank will buy back bonds from the market, leading to a rise in their demand and prices. This has led to a rally in bond prices with the benchmark yield slipping below 6%.



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Small finance banks better placed to evaluate credit profiles of MFIs: CRAs

Personal Finance

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However, the purpose of borrowing by individuals and small businesses needed to be seen as to whether it was for credit for growth purpose or for repaying of loans, CARE Ratings said.

Welcoming the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s efforts to incentivise small finance banks (SFBs) to lend to microfinance institutions (MFIs) by classifying the fresh credit extended as priority sector lending, credit rating agencies said as most SFBs had operated as MFIs before converting into an SFB, they have good understanding of the sector and would be in a better position to evaluate credit profiles of smaller MFIs to lend.

Microlenders have said the RBI’s initiative should lead to tangible liquidity flow to the microfinance sector.

“Most SFBs had operated as MFIs before converting into an SFB and thus have a good understanding of the segment. Further, the PSL categorisation should incentivise SFBs to on-lend to smaller MFIs, which are currently faced with funding constraints following the resurgence of the second Covid wave,” AM Karthik, vice president & sector head – financial sector ratings, Icra, told FE.

Crisil Ratings senior director Krishnan Sitharaman said incentivising SFBs to lend to MFIs, which typically faced higher borrower vulnerability, was “salutary”. “What helps is that 8 out of 11 SFBs were MFIs previously, so they would be in a better position to evaluate the credit profiles of the smaller MFIs and lend. Secondly, extending the priority-sector lending eligibility to MFIs with asset size up to Rs 500 crore will encourage flow of credit to smaller MFIs, which have been facing relatively bigger funding-access challenges, Sitharaman said, adding this move would cover around half of the NBFC-MFIs in India.

However, the purpose of borrowing by individuals and small businesses needed to be seen as to whether it was for credit for growth purpose or for repaying of loans, CARE Ratings said.

Alok Misra, CEO of MFIN, said, “We expect that with changes in the evolving situation, RBI will keep introducing newer relief measures. We also anticipate that the pricing issue would also hopefully be resolved soon.”

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Breather for borrowers and small businesses as RBI allows Restructuring 2.0, BFSI News, ET BFSI

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The Reserve Bank of India has brought back the restructuring scheme for retail and small business borrowers allowing the lenders and borrower to brace the impact of the ongoing severe second wave of Covid-19 across the country.

RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das said, “Small businesses and financial entities at the grassroot level are bearing the biggest brunt of the second wave of infections.”

He added, “The resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic in India in recent weeks and the associated containment measures adopted at local/regional levels have created new uncertainties and impacted the nascent economic revival that was taking shape. In this environment the most vulnerable category of borrowers are individual borrowers, small businesses and MSMEs.”

Under the Resolution Framework 2.0 for COVID Related Stressed Assets of Individuals, Small Businesses and MSMEs, borrowers who have aggregate exposure upto Rs 25 crore and have not availed restructuring in previous framework and who are classified as standard as of March 31, 2021 will be eligible for restructuring. The proposal has to be invoked up to September 30, 2021 and shall be implemented within 90 days after invocation.

Borrowers who have availed restructuring in the earlier framework where the resolution plan is permitted for less than two years are being permitted to use this window to modify their plans to extend the period of moratorium or tenor of the loan up to a total of 2 years.

For small businesses and MSMEs restructured earlier the central bank has allowed lending institutions as a one-time measure to review the working capital sanctioned limits based on a reassessment of working capital cycle, margins and other parameters.

Aashit Shah, Partner at J Sagar Associates said, “Restructuring guidelines for MSMEs, small businesses and individuals will assist them tide over the uncertainties caused due to the second wave. These guidelines as well as the recently introduced pre-arranged insolvency resolution process will enable MSMEs to restructure their debts without the looming fear of losing or liquidating their businesses.”

“Opening a one-time restructuring window for individuals and MSME till September 2021 will give an impetus to scale up their business without worrying about financial destitution,” said Rajesh Sharma, MD at Capri Global Capital Ltd.



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