Four sectors to be barred from entering banking space: Finance Ministry

18 Aug 2011 Evaluate

In the middle of the debate over whether to allow or not corporate houses to enter into the banking sector, the finance ministry is planning to bar industrial houses conducting business in four sectors, including real estate, from seeking banking licenses.

The ministry of finance is seeking to prepare a negative list of four sectors, including real estate, which will be barred from the banking space. These restrictions on the new players are with the view that these sectors can manipulate the banking system. However, with strict restrictions, the industrial houses may be allowed to apply for new licenses. The draft guidelines on the New Banking Policy are expected to be released by the end of the week. The draft policy will be released for discussions, after that it will be finalized.

Earlier, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that he will comment on the issue once the RBI issue the guidelines. “Let’s see how it (RBI draft guidelines) comes... and thereafter we will make comment,” the finance minister said.

On the issue of foreign direct investment (FDI), the ministry of finance seems to be in agreement with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). On the foreign investment limits, RBI is looking to restrict it on 49 % for the new bank. The ministry also seems to be more accommodative on the issue of reducing stakes of promoters and shareholders of the new banks. The central bank is planning to increase the number of years for reducing the stake in banks. The plan is to raise it to 5 years. It has also suggested that the promoter holding in the bank could be set at 40% to begin with.

In the new norms, non-resident would not be allowed to hold more than 5% of paid up capital, the minimum paid-up capital is set at Rs 500 crore from Rs 300 crore for existing banks. Many large industrial houses have expressed their interest to enter into banking sector; however, as of now there is not clarity whether other candidates such as Indiabulls, Shriram Finance, Religare and Srei would be allowed to enter into banking space.

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