Devise strategies for containing and bringing down NPAs: Finance Minister

09 Jul 2011 Evaluate

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has urged public sector banks (PSBs) and financial institutions to retain their increasing non-performing assets (NPA) and devise strategies for containing and bringing down NPAs. He praised on the significant credit growth of 22.44% recorded by PSBs in the last financial year 2010-11. However, he also noticed that there has been a moderation in the last quarter. Net profits of PSBs have gone up from approximately Rs 39,000 crore to approximately Rs 45,000 crore in the year 2010-11. He sounded a note of caution to all in respect of asset quality.

During the last financial year, the non performing assets of PSBs has increased by 24.5%, the NPAs for financial year 2009-10 was around Rs 59,927 crore, which increased to Rs 74,617 crore in 2010-11. After the meeting with heads of PSBs, Finance Minister said, 'of course, it is an area of concern as gross NPAs have increased from March 2010 to March 2011. Gross NPAs have increased from Rs 59,927 crore to 74,617 crore.'

'Growth of NPAs was one item on which detailed discussions have taken place and I have suggested to the public sector bank CMDs that you must not only apply your due diligence for the fresh sanction of the loans but also ensure the mechanism through which the NPA growth could be stemmed,' finance minister added.

On the capital need for developing infrastructure in the country, finance minister has instructed public sector banks to increase the capital for the sector he said, banks need to sustain and improve the flow of credit to the sector. Banks should gain more headroom for lending to infrastructure projects by availing 'Takeout Finance' from IIFC.

However, on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) finance minister noted that public sector banks has surpassed the target of 20% for this year, SMEs sector loans has registered a growth of 35%. On agriculture sector credit, Mukherjee said against the target of flow of Rs 3,75,000 crore as agricultural credit in 2010-11, the achievement has been over Rs 4,46,000 crore.

On the financial inclusion, Finance minister asked PSBs heads to prepare a road map for providing banking services for uncovered villages. In the 2010-11 budget speech, finance minister had asked banks to cover 20,000 habitations with the population of 2,000 and above under the Financial Inclusion Campaign by end of March 2011. Under the Financial Inclusion Campaign, banks have covered around 29,500 villages. “The inclusive growth is a priority of the government” Finance Minister said.

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