Finmin rejects the power ministry’s suggestion of increasing ECB limit for PFCs

22 Sep 2011 Evaluate

The ministry of finance rejected power ministry’s recommendation to double the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) limit of companies which finance power projects. According to finance ministry, a higher ceiling for the power sector will hurt the efforts of other sectors to raise funds abroad.

The ministry of power had asked for increasing the ECB limit to $1 billion every year for finance companies and Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) in the power sector via automatic route. However, finance ministry said a relaxation in ceiling for one sector will squeeze the funds available overseas and raise borrowing costs for other sectors.

A senior finance ministry official said that 'We do not want to exceed the basic limit for a specific category of borrowers,' by adding further he said another reason behind the refusal was that some companies, such as Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), have not been able to meet even the current ECB limit.

Currently the NBFCs can raise funds around $500 million per annum as overseas debt via the automatic route, given that their total borrowing is not more than half of their networth. However, company can borrow more than their ECB limit, only after securing the Reserve Bank of India’s permission.

However, power ministry undertaking, REC Chairman, HD Kuntetea said raising the limit in the automatic approval route would have made it easier for them to secure funds overseas. 'We have raised around Rs 9,000 crore so far and the company's networth is around Rs 13,000 crore. Raising the limit would have made the process simpler and faster.'

The REC is power ministry undertaking, which finance power projects, aims to borrow around Rs 28,000 crore in the 2011-12, of this $ 1 billion or Rs 4,500 crore will come from overseas debt. The company is also planning to sanction Rs 50,000 crore worth loan in current financial year.

Experts have the view that the ECBs are not increasing then the borrowing cost of these power finance companies will increase as they will be restricted to borrow from cheat fund. The cost of funds for power financing firms is around 8% to 8.5%, and they further lend at 13.5-14%.

However, another government owned power financing firm, PFC, Chairman Satnam Singh said it was not too concerned with the limits. 'The only issue is that it does not give the leeway of setting up a MTN (medium term note programme).' PFC is planning to raise Rs 30,000 crore in 2011-12. However, it has got permission to raise Rs 12,000 crore via tax free and infrastructure bonds, the PFC may raise rest of money through ECB route.

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