The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised priority sector lending norms, that includes 7 pc lending for micro enterprises by 2016.
An Internal Working Group (IWG) was set up in July 2014 to revisit the existing priority sector lending guidelines. The report of the IWG was placed in the public domain inviting comments.
A major change in policy is that the priority sector non-achievement will be assessed on quarterly average basis at the end of the respective year from 2016-17 onwards, instead of annual basis as at present.
According to the new guidelines, bank loans to food and agro processing units will form part of Agriculture.
And Export credit upto 32 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher, will be eligible as part of priority sector for foreign banks with less than 20 branches.
For other banks, the incremental export credit over corresponding date of the preceding year will be reckoned upto 2 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher.
The loan limits for housing loans and MFI loans qualifying under priority sector have been revised too.
Foreign Banks with 20 branches and above already have priority sector targets and sub-targets for Agriculture and Weaker Sections, which are to be achieved by March 31, 2018 as per the action plans submitted by them and approved by RBI.
[Source: SupportBiz]
