Manojit Saha And Abhijit Lele

Stories by Manojit Saha And Abhijit Lele

'NPA recoveries has helped to reduce credit cost'

'NPA recoveries has helped to reduce credit cost'

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2024

'For the first time ever it has come below 1 per cent, at 0.97 per cent.'

'Disinflationary stance allows for rate cuts'

'Disinflationary stance allows for rate cuts'

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2024

'Investment creates capacity and reduces inflation. Income, employment, and savings rise.'

'We are almost at peak of interest rates cycles'

'We are almost at peak of interest rates cycles'

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2024

'The stabilisation of interest rates followed by reduction is going to happen over the next year.'

Coming! New Affordable Housing Scheme

Coming! New Affordable Housing Scheme

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2024

The new scheme may be announced before the Lok Sabha elections.

Private bank profits see impact of alternate investment fund provisions

Private bank profits see impact of alternate investment fund provisions

Rediff.com   29 Jan 2024

The bottom lines of several private sector banks have taken a hit following the recent guidelines released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on alternate investment fund (AIF) investments. Last month, the RBI announced that regulated entities, such as banks, non-bank lenders, and home financiers, cannot invest in AIFs that have directly or indirectly invested in companies that have borrowed money from the lenders. In case an entity had already made such an investment, they must liquidate the investment or make 100 per cent provision, RBI had said.

Offshore syndication of loans at 15-yr high, zooms to $21 bn in '23

Offshore syndication of loans at 15-yr high, zooms to $21 bn in '23

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2024

Funds raised by India Inc. through offshore loan syndication hit a 15-year high in 2023 with companies and banks raising $21.4 billion, the highest since 2007. The momentum is expected to continue in 2024 as well with over $4 billion fund raising expected in the first three months of this year. Companies raise funds, both onshore and offshore, depending on interest rates and activities. Funds raised offshore can be deployed in overseas activities.

RBI gives clarity to 'politically exposed persons' term to meet FATF norms

RBI gives clarity to 'politically exposed persons' term to meet FATF norms

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2024

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated Know Your Customer (KYC) norms for politically exposed persons (PEPs) who transact with regulated entities (REs), seeking to comply with the recommendations of intergovernmental organisation Financial Action Task Force (FATF). PEPs are individuals entrusted with prominent public functions by a foreign country, including the heads of states/governments, senior politicians, senior government or judicial or military officers, senior executives of state-owned corporations and important political party officials, said the RBI. This change is expected to provide more clarity to undertake Customer Due Diligence (CDD), said the RBI in a communication to REs.

'The daily numbers give me confidence'

'The daily numbers give me confidence'

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2024

'We have a plan to plough back a 'This year in the first half we had profits of more than Rs 31,000 crore.' significant amount of profits this financial year.' 'We have seen this organic plough back of profit is one of best ways to support the equity of the bank.'

Food inflation a concern: RBI's MPC

Food inflation a concern: RBI's MPC

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2023

All six members of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) monetary policy committee (MPC) expressed caution over food inflation during the December review, while two external members warned about high real interest rates as headline inflation approaches its target of 4 per cent. The central bank continued to maintain the status quo on both the repo rate and the stance in the December monetary policy. India's retail inflation in November rose to 5.5 per cent - its fastest pace in three months - due to higher food prices.

'We've invested in the growth of India'

'We've invested in the growth of India'

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2023

We are, therefore, setting up more branches in more tertiary terms, like tier 2 and tier 3 terms. Going forward, that is where the growth will come.

Banks lead QIP revival in 2023: Listed cos raised Rs 53,070 cr so far

Banks lead QIP revival in 2023: Listed cos raised Rs 53,070 cr so far

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2023

Fundraising through qualified institutional placement (QIP) has revived this year, led by commercial banks, after a lacklustre 2022. According to data compiled by Prime Database, Indian companies have raised Rs 53,070 crore in 2023 so far, of which seven banks - Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of India, Federal Bank, IDFC First Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and J&K Bank - account for Rs 21,290 crore, or about 40 per cent. If other financial institutions are included, the figure surges to Rs 26,690 crore.

RBL Bank's business trajectory remains intact

RBL Bank's business trajectory remains intact

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2023

'We are committed to achieving the targets we had outlined.'

On a hat-trick: Will Das throw up another surprise?

On a hat-trick: Will Das throw up another surprise?

Rediff.com   7 Dec 2023

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das had stumped the market in the previous two policies - in August and in October - first with action and then with words. In August, it was the introduction of an incremental cash reserve ratio (I-CRR) to take out excess liquidity, which took the markets by surprise. In October, there was no action. Rather, what is known as "open mouth operation", Das' comment that the central bank might conduct open market operations (OMOs) by selling bonds tempered the euphoria in the bond markets after JP Morgan's inclusion of India in its Emerging Market Bond Index.

'There is huge demand for home loans'

'There is huge demand for home loans'

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2023

'We started affordable housing loans that has good traction and the books have grown to Rs 750 crore as of the end of last quarter.'

Can Your Bank Avoid Cyber Attacks?

Can Your Bank Avoid Cyber Attacks?

Rediff.com   1 Dec 2023

The Union finance ministry will meet CEOs of public sector banks to discuss issues related to cybersecurity in the wake of the Rs 820 crore (Rs 8.2 billion) fraud that hit Kolkata-based UCO Bank last month.

Why HDFC Bank Is On A Hiring Spree

Why HDFC Bank Is On A Hiring Spree

Rediff.com   15 Nov 2023

Between March 2022 and September 2023, HDFC Bank added 56,310 employees.

'We are seeing growth in retail health insurance'

'We are seeing growth in retail health insurance'

Rediff.com   9 Nov 2023

'Pandemic has triggered interest and awareness among the people about the need for healthcare.'

As of now Mobikwik has no plans to enter banking space

As of now Mobikwik has no plans to enter banking space

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2023

'We are focused on playing on our strengths, which are technology, and building a large profitable business by working with banks as well as non-banks and NBFCs for loans.'

HDFC Bank 2.0 under Sashidhar Jagdishan: Steady beginning, miles to go

HDFC Bank 2.0 under Sashidhar Jagdishan: Steady beginning, miles to go

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2023

Sashidhar Jagdishan, managing director and chief executive officer of HDFC Bank, the largest private-sector lender of the country, has just completed his first term. The period October 2020-October 2023 was a roller coaster, and the second one, which started on October 27, could be more interesting as the lender absorbs the impact of the merger of HDFC, which was integrated on July 1, and moves to the next growth phase. Soon after he took over the reins from Aditya Puri on October 27, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) debarred HDFC Bank from enrolling new credit card customers and launching new products under the Digital 2.0 programme due to repeated outages on its mobile-banking and internet-banking platforms.

RBI directs pvt banks to have at least two wholetime directors

RBI directs pvt banks to have at least two wholetime directors

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2023

In a move to strengthen governance in private sector banks and wholly-owned subsidiaries of foreign banks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday directed them to have at least two wholetime directors. Lenders that do not meet the requirement will have to submit the names for the RBI's approval within four months. Banks need prior approval from the banking regulator for the appointment of wholetime directors.