- RBI EXTENDS KYC DEADLINE FOR e-WALLETS BY 6 MONTHS: Reserve Bank of India has extended the deadline of Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance for e-Wallet companies by 6 months. Earlier the deadline was supposed to end on 28TH The extension comes after intense follow-up and requests by mobile wallet companies and domestic internet groups over the past few months. This comes as a big relief to consumers as well as mobile wallet companies.
- PSU BANKS STEP UP TAKEOVER OF MORTGAGE LOANS FROM NBFCs: Public sector banks are launching new schemes to takeover housing loans from Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and home finance companies that are facing liquidity crunch. State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda have already initiated these special schemes to attract takeover of loans. Bank of Baroda has initiated a special scheme “ Switch Karo, Save Karo” which allows customers to switch their home loans without any income proof provided a minimum of 12 monthly instalments have been paid regularly and their credit score is at or above 725. The rate of interest offered by Bank of Baroda for such takeover loans is 9% which is much lower than the rates offered by NBFCs and Home Finance Companies. In our opinion more PSU banks should come out with such schemes to garner more business.
- CANARA BANK TO GIVE LOAN TO BANK OF INDIA AND UNION BANK EMPLOYEES: Bank of India and Union Bank of India have made arrangements with Canara Bank to provide Collateral-free loans to their respective employees to fund purchase of shares of their respective banks under Employee Stock Purchase Scheme ( ESPS). Canara Bank loan is priced at 8.7% and the size of the loan will be 10 months gross salary of respective employee subject to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh. Regulations do not allow banks to offer loans to their own employees for purchasing shares under ESPS. Bank of India is looking to raise up to Rs 800 crore while Union Bank looks to raise Rs. 600 crore.
- BANK LOCKER PROTECTION POLICY LAUNCHED: IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company has announced the launch of Bank Locker Protection policy to protect the contents of a Bank locker. The policy offers a cover against various risks including fire, earthquake, burglary, holdup, infidelity by bank staff or act of terrorism. Apart from jewellery and valuables one can insure important documents as an add-on cover. The bank locker hire agreement does not cover compensation in case of such untoward incidents.
- LOANS TO NBFCs BECOME COSTLIER AS RBI TIGHTENS NORMS: Reserve Bank of India has stepped in to slow down the flow of credit to Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) by making it more expensive for banks to lend to these NBFCs. A loan to an NBFC which owes banks Rs 200 crore or more and is un-rated, will now attract a risk weight of 150%. Any NBFC to which banks have an exposure of 100 crore and more which was rated earlier but subsequently un-rated then it will attract 150% risk weight.
- MERGER OF REGIONAL RURAL BANKS WITHIN THE SAME STATE LIKELY: The government is looking at the possibility of merging Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) operating within the same state and has urged the Public Sector Banks to explore such options, as it wants further consolidation among RRBs. At present the central government holds 50% stake in RRBs while the Sponsor Bank holds 35% and rest 15% is held by respective state governments. The government eventually wants to bring them down to a more manageable number of 10 to 15 RRBs. Presently there are 56 RRBs functioning in the country.
- GOVERNMENT TO CREATE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE LARGE BANKS VIA MERGERS: Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley has said that the situation of bad loan scenario in Public Sector Banks has improved in the last three quarters and now the government will amalgamate banks to create healthy large lenders that are globally competitive. In order to make the banks sound and globally competitive, the government is gradually following the policy of amalgamation. Mr Jaitley further said that the government has lived up to its promise by funding the troubled banks in terms of capital.
- SBI HAS FOUND FRAUD WORTH Rs 7,951 CRORE DURING APRIL-DECEMBER 2018 PERIOD: In an RTI reply, State Bank of India has revealed that there were frauds amounting to Rs 7,951 crore during the first nine months of the current fiscal. The first quarter reported 669 cases of fraudulent activities amounting to Rs 723.06 crore, the second quarter saw 660 cases involving an amount of Rs 4,832.42 crore and the third quarter reported 556 cases amounting to Rs 2,395.81 crore.
This post first appeared on IMPACT OF DEMONITIZATION OF CURRENCY IN INDIA IN 2016, please read the originial post: here
