Moody's Investors Service in its latest report has said that the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) revised asset recognition norms for bank loans to the real estate sector are credit negative for Indian banks as it would defer the recognition of such loans. On February 7, the RBI loosened asset quality recognition norms for Indian banks by allowing them not to treat real estate loans as restructured for one year if a project is delayed for reasons beyond the real estate developer's control. The RBI harmonized guidelines for deferment of date of commencement of commercial operations (DCCO) for projects in non-infrastructure and commercial real estate (CRE) sectors.
According to the report, the revisions of the date of DCCO and consequential shift in repayment schedule for the equal or shorter duration will not be treated as restructuring provided the revised DCCO falls within the period of one year from the original DCCO stipulated at the time of financial closure for CRE projects. It also said in case of CRE projects delayed for reasons beyond the control of the promoter, banks may restructure them by way of revision of DCCO up to another one year and retain the 'standard' asset classification if the account continues to be serviced.
The report said while this will alleviate near-term asset quality risk to the banks from the real estate sector, it will not address the credit issues facing real estate developers. It pointed out that developers are facing funding challenges because nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs), the key lenders to the sector, are facing funding challenges of their own. It added that tight funding conditions are straining developers' ability to complete projects, and by extension their solvency.
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