Banks may not get priority sector loans from RRBs at below market prices-Hindu Business Line
- ( my views are given below)
MUMBAI, FEB 25:
Public sector banks may no longer be able to wangle a “lower-than-market” pricing when it comes to buying priority sector loans via Inter Bank Participation Certificates (IBPCs) from the regional rural bank of which they are the sponsor.
The Department of Financial Services and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) are keeping a close watch on such “lower-than-market” pricing.
This issue was flagged by the Financial Services Secretary, Rajiv Takru and NABARD Chairman, Harsh Kumar Bhanwala at a performance review meeting of all regional rural banks (RRBs) in the country.
To correct this, Takru asked NABARD to work out a methodology, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, so that the sale of priority sector portfolio happens at a market driven price.
In the run up to the financial year end, banks typically buy priority sector loans via IBPCs from entities like RRBs to meet short-fall in their priority sector lending targets.
The IBPCs are a form securitization of loans through which a bank buys the assets of another bank for a stipulated period.
The RBI has mandated that banks lend 40 per cent of their total loans to priority sectors such as agriculture, micro and small enterprises, education and affordable housing. However, banks which are unable to meet this target buy it from the market.
For RRBs, the priority sector lending for the last three years has been more than 80 per cent as against the targeted level of 60 per cent. So, RRBs are at liberty to sell their excess priority sector loans to banks seeking them.
However, since sponsor banks buy such loans at “lower-than-market” prices, a true price discovery of such portfolio is inhibited.
“There are no authentic figures available to say how much is sold to such sponsored banks,” Bhanwala said.
Another NABARD official said that “majority” of the loans that the RRBs sell are to sponsor banks.
There are 57 RRBs in the country, as of date. The sector has seen massive consolidation in the past decade when there were over 200 RRBs.
RRBs are three-way joint ventures between the central government (which holds 50 per cent stake in all these banks), the state government where the RRB is located (15 per cent) and the sponsor bank (35 per cent).
RRBs were created in the mid-70s with a view to develop the rural economy and create a supplementary channel to the 'Cooperative Credit Structure' with a view to enlarge institutional credit for the rural and agriculture sector.
Of the 64 RRBs as on March 31, 2013, 63 RRBs recorded profit. All the RRBs put together had an outstanding loan portfolio of `1.37 lakh crore, of which `1.02 lakh crore was lent to the agriculture sector.
RRBs saw six per cent (or `8,330 crore) of their total loans turning bad as on March last, higher than 5 per cent of their total loans turning sour, a year earlier.
At today’s review meeting, it was decided that all RRB branches where there are more than 100 transactions daily, automated teller machines (ATMs) will be installed in the next few years.
What I feel is submitted below
Regional Rural Banks created especially for rural lending. But
during course of time these banks started distributing credit as charity
of officials or politicians as cooperative banks use to do and which
to some extent other public sector banks are also doing in rural areas.
Staff of these banks used to get salary as per pay scale of state government
but during the course of time pay scale also brought at par with pay scale of
public sector banks. Control on these banks is made by sponsor bank or an authority
like NABARD . But the ground reality is that these banks are completely running
Bhagwan Bharose and they are at par with public sector banks so far as bad debts
are concerned. It is worthwhile to mention here that they carry the same
culture aa their sponsor banks have or as politicians of their state government
want.
Gross NPA reported by these banks has gone
upto six percent as per books of accounts published by these banks. But if RBI
conducts forensic audit as they have done in United Bank of India , there is no
doubt that more than 25 of loans will be found bad debts and it may go beyond
it in many banks branches . There is no doubt that majority of rural branches
of public sector banks are also having 25 to 50 percent of their loan portfolio
as bad in the same way or greater than their counter part in public sector banks.
I can say here that Gross NPA at rural branches in general is more than 25
percent of their loan volume in the branch.
Unfortunately RBI or Ministry of
Finance or the sponsor bank of Regional Rural Bank are
silent spectator of growing bad culture, growing corruption and
growing irresponsibility among staff of these banks due to bad bosses and due
to unwarranted interference of local politicians. in rural branches of these
banks or PSBs.
RBI or MOF is awakened from deep slumber
and come to senses only when there is mass upsurge, or there is total
collapse of the bank or some media men exposes the ground reality or when
some person like UBI Chairman refuses to hide truth and disclosed all bad debts
in United Bank.
It is the culture of Indian politicians
specially that of ruling Congress Party to enjoy
and exploit all PSUs, all PSBs and all funds of
governments to the best of their ability and possibility for the benefit of
their self, for their family for ,their friends and relatives
and finally for their vote bank.
It is well established culture of
Indian rulers. If a few officers of any bank is caught in camera by
Cobrapost doing work against the rules or indulged in bribery , he or she
is brought to task for the time being.
If a few police inspectors are trapped
in camera accepting bribe for doing work, Delhi police suspends those specific officers
but never take initiative to punish others who also are indulged in bribery and
flattery.
But if an honest officer like Ashok Khemka or Durga Nagpal
exposes fraud with system or moves against any politician, he or she is immediately
suspended or transferred to remote place.
None is bothered of rampant corruption. No One
other than Kejriwal and his team thinks of cancer of corruption. In recent past
It is found that top officials of United Bank concealed bad debts to inflate
profit and to win the hearts of ministers. RBI
has tightened the officials of UBI only and they
still think that other banks are honest and performing work
as per RBI norms.
RBI and MOF or any regulating agency do not want to take the trouble of peeping
into the evil works of other banks and do not want to expose other banks too taking clue from UBI . They do not have courage to stop political
interference in banks to stop and reduce sickness of banks in general
instead of focusing entire energy only on United Bank which is exposed now.
They do not want to tighten the administrative and legal tools to make them
active and effective to recover loans from all defaulters. They cannot punish
politicians who are root cause of all sickness in banks.
As long as RBI and MOF treat and continue to
consider evil doers as per whims and fancies of political mentors and political
masters or official bosses to get easy promotion and choice
posting , no power on earth can cure the cancer of corruption and no one
can cure the system .
Frauds at co-op banks disturbing: Nabard
MUMBAI, FEB 25:
With State co-operative banks, district central co-operative banks and regional rural banks collectively reporting an over ₹100 crore jump in frauds in the last financial year, their supervisor Nabard has asked them to strengthen their internal checks and control systems.
Nabard (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) said it is quite disturbing that although the number of outstanding frauds has marginally declined as at March-end 2013 as compared to the position obtaining a year ago, the amount involved has considerably increased from ₹612 crore to ₹728 crore.
The increase in the fraud amount is largely attributable to a few high-value frauds in the loans and advances segment.
“It was further observed that in several cases, banks were either not reporting or reporting the fraud with undue delay.
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