RBI asks banks to review finance to Government-owned entities



Quick Summary
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a directive to all scheduled commercial banks, urging them to conduct a thorough review of their financial dealings with government-owned entities. This follows instances where banks have not strictly adhered to existing instructions regarding the assessment of commercial viability, revenue streams for debt servicing, and the monitoring of fund usage for infrastructure and housing projects. Banks must ensure that term loans are sanctioned only for corporate bodies and that project repayment is not reliant on budgetary resources.

RBI/2022-23/71
DOR.CRE.REC.No.47/13.03.00/2022-23

June 14, 2022

All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding RRBs)

Madam / Dear Sir

Bank finance to Government owned entities

Please refer to the Master Circulars DBR.No.Dir.BC.10/13.03.00/2015-16 dated July 1, 2015 on 'Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions' and DOR.CRE.REC.No.06/08.12.001/2022-23 dated April 1, 2022 on 'Housing Finance'.

2. We have come across instances where banks have not been strictly complying with our extant instructions on assessment of commercial viability, ascertainment of revenue streams for debt servicing obligations and monitoring of end use of funds in respect of their financing of infrastructure/ housing projects of government-owned entities.

RBI Directs Banks to Review Government Entity Financing

3. Banks/ FIs have also been found to have violated our instructions which inter alia require that in case of projects undertaken by government owned entities, term loans should be sanctioned only for corporate bodies; due diligence should be carried out on viability and bankability of the projects to ensure that revenue stream from the project is sufficient to take care of the debt servicing obligations; and that the repayment/ servicing of debt is not from budgetary resources.

4. Attention of the banks is especially drawn towards the specific instructions contained in the paragraphs referred to in the Annex. It is reiterated that banks are required to follow these instructions in letter and spirit.

5. Banks are advised to carry out a review and place before their Boards, a comprehensive report on the status of compliance with the instructions within three months from the date of this circular.

Yours faithfully,

(Manoranjan Mishra)
Chief General Manager

Annex

Bank finance to Government-owned entities - Extant Instructions

a) Para 2.3.7.3 – 'Criteria for Financing' of Master Circular DBR.No.Dir.BC.10/13.03.00/2015-16 on 'Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions' dated July 1, 2015

b) Para 2.3.7.5 – 'Appraisal' of Master Circular DBR.No.Dir.BC.10/13.03.00/2015-16 on 'Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions' dated July 1, 2015

c) Para 2.3.23 – 'Bridge Loans against receivables from Government' of Master Circular DBR.No.Dir.BC.10/13.03.00/2015-16 on 'Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions' dated July 1, 2015

d) Para 2(B)(ix) of Master Circular DOR.CRE.REC.No.06/08.12.001/2022-23 on 'Housing Finance' dated April 1, 2022

FAQ :

The RBI has asked banks to review their financing of government-owned entities and report on compliance with existing instructions.

The RBI has observed instances where banks have not strictly complied with instructions on assessing commercial viability, revenue streams for debt servicing, and monitoring end-use of funds for government entity projects.

Banks have reportedly violated instructions requiring term loans for government-owned entities to be sanctioned only for corporate bodies, proper due diligence on project viability, and ensuring repayment is not from budgetary resources.

Banks are required to submit a comprehensive report on their compliance status to their Boards within three months from the date of the circular.

The RBI's concerns specifically mention infrastructure and housing projects undertaken by government-owned entities.




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