The decade-long wait for new bank licences finally came to an end, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deciding to grant banking licences to infrastructure financing firm IDFC and microfinance institution Bandhan from among 25 applicants that included corporate heavyweights ADAG Group, Aditya Birla Group and Bajaj Group.
The in-principle approval granted to the two entities would be valid for a period of 18 months during which the applicants have to comply with the requirements under the guidelines and fulfill other conditions as may be stipulated by the RBI. It is only after the fulfillment of all norms that regular license would be issued. However, for those entities who did not qualify in this round for a full-fledged banking licence could well apply in future rounds or could apply for differentiated licences under the proposed framework. The development comes a day after the Election Commission (EC) cleared the way to grant new licences. It’s post that RBI’s committee of central board met to deliberate on the two names placed before it and decided to give its in-principle approval.
The long drawn process of issuing banking license started in February 2010, after a budget announcement by former finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, with the objective of promoting financial inclusion. Three years later RBI issued final licensing guidelines in February 2013, while the deadline to file application was July 1,2013.
A total of 27 entities applied for licences, which included conglomerates like the Birlas, the Anil Ambani group, Larsen & Toubro and the Bajaj group, as well as non-banking financial companies like LIC Housing Finance and Edelweiss. However, the number was reduced to 25 after Tata group withdrew its application citing stringent norms that stipulated a non-operative financial holding company structure, Videocon Group-promoted Value Industries dropped out.
In the past 20 years, the RBI has licensed 12 banks in the private sector in two phases. Ten banks were licensed on the basis of guidelines issued in January 1993.
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