As per inputs received from Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as on 31.3.2019, there were 1,938 unique borrowers with funded amount outstanding (FAO) of more than Rs. 25 crore who had defaulted on their loans. Regarding the list of such borrowers, RBI has apprised that under the provisions of section 45E of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, RBI is prohibited from disclosing credit information. Section 45E provides that credit information submitted by a bank shall be treated as confidential and not be published or otherwise disclosed.
As per RBI data on global operations, aggregate gross advances of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) increased from Rs. 18,19,074 crore as on 31.3.2008 to Rs. 52,15,920 crore as on 31.3.2014. As per RBI inputs, the primary reasons for spurt in stressed assets have been observed to be, inter-alia, aggressive lending practices, wilful default / loan frauds / corruption in some cases, and economic slowdown. Asset Quality Review (AQR) initiated in 2015 for clean and fully provisioned bank balance-sheets revealed high incidence of NPAs. As a result of AQR and subsequent transparent recognition by banks, stressed accounts were reclassified as NPAs and expected losses on stressed loans, not provided for earlier under flexibility given to restructured loans, were provided for. Further, all such schemes for restructuring stressed loans were withdrawn. Primarily as a result of transparent recognition of stressed assets as NPAs, gross NPAs of PSBs, as per RBI data on global operations, rose from Rs. 2,79,016 crore as on 31.3.2015, to Rs. 8,95,601 crore as on 31.3.2018, and as a result of Government’s 4R’s strategy of recognition, resolution, recapitalisation and reforms, NPAs have since declined by Rs. 1,06,032 crore to Rs. 7,89,569 crore as on 31.3.2019 (provisional data as reported by RBI on 2.7.2019).
A number of initiatives have been taken for stricter check on loan advances of large amounts, including, inter alia, the following:
Enabled by the above steps, financial gains from cleaning of the banking system are now amply visible. As per RBI data on global operations, the NPAs of PSBs, after reaching a peak of Rs. 8,95,601 crore as on 31.3.2018, have since declined by Rs. 1,06,032 crore to Rs. 7,89,569 crore as on 31.3.2019 (provisional data for the financial year ending March 2019). PSBs have recovered Rs. 3,16,479 crore over the last four financial years, including a record recovery of Rs. 1,27,987 crore during 2018-19 (provisional data for the financial year ending March 2019, as reported by RBI on 9.7.2019).
Note: Figures cited above for PSBs include those for IDBI Bank Limited, which was recategorised as a private sector bank by RBI with effect from 21.1.2019.
This was stated by Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
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