RBI bats for 30-year fixed rate home loan; focuses on long term bonds

23 Jan 2013 Evaluate

In a slew of borrower-friendly suggestions, a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) panel has recommended that banks could issue 30-year fixed rate home loans under the priority sector category (sub-Rs 25 lakh) to make loans more affordable. Given that Indian financial system has G-Secs upto 30 years, a benchmark to issue and price 30 year bonds by banks, RBI urged that banks could make efforts to offer longer-tenor fixed rate loans, say upto 30 years, which would help reduce the EMIs of the borrower.

Fixed rate long-term loan products with periodic interest reset (say every 7-10 years) may be offered by banks in addition to plain vanilla fixed rate loan products, it said. However, banks are ought to take care that the resetting of interest rate does not violate regulatory guidelines on base rate. On implementation, the move will not only help borrowers who currently end up paying more, but will also aid bank to balance their assets and liabilities.

On deposits front, the Apex Bank, recommended banks should popularise the fixed deposit schemes with tenure of above 5 years as the same, which are eligible for tax exemption. Further, the panel has recommended that banks which have an exposure to home loans qualifying for priority sector (currently loans up to Rs 25 lakh) should be allowed to raise long-term funds through issue of long-term bonds. To find suitors for these bonds, the panel has suggested that institutional investors like pension funds, provident funds, and insurance companies be allowed to invest in them, if necessary, by suitably amending the relevant investment guidelines.

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