In order to pass the benefit of changes in policy rate to borrowers, the Reserve Bank Monday asked banks to notify the base rate, or the minimum lending rate, at least once in every three months based on cost of funds. However, banks will not be allowed to change their base rate methodology during the review cycle. New guidelines will come into effect from February 19.
The RBI move comes after it cut repo rate by 0.25 percent, the first reduction in 20 months, to boost credit and economic growth. The RBI is of the view that banks have in the past shown reluctance to pass on benefits of rate cut but have been proactive in raising benchmark lending rate soon after repo rate is hiked. Currently, the review of the base rate does not have a fixed schedule.
The RBI’s notification added that banks will have the freedom to calculate cost of funds either on the basis of average cost of funds or on marginal cost of funds or any other methodology in vogue, which is reasonable and transparent. To provide banks greater operational flexibility, RBI decided to allow banks to review the base rate methodology after three years from date of its finalization instead of the current periodicity of five years. On interest margins, the RBI notified that an existing borrower should not be charged extra except on account of deterioration in the credit risk profile of the customer or change in the tenor premium.
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