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MSME

Bank of Maharashtra Aims To Resolve About 25 Stressed MSME Loans Under Pre-Packaged Insolvency Resolution Process

Mumbai, April 24: In a bid to help the stressed micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, the State-owned Bank of Maharashtra is looking out to roll out a plan at resolving 20-25 stressed MSME accounts under the pre-packaged insolvency resolution process. The news was announced by a senior bank official, a report by PTI said. Earlier this month, the government had introduced a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process for stressed MSMEs by amending the insolvency law.

With the coronavirus pandemic, several sectors have taken a major hit. Bank of Maharashtra’s general manager (credit – large and mid-corporate, MSME) Sanjay Rudra said with the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, the stress on hospitality, luxury retail, tour operators, lodging and restaurant operators has increased considerably. “I expect around 20-25 stressed MSME accounts to be resolved under the pre-packaged insolvency resolution regime in the coming months,” he said.

Rudra said this during a webinar organised by MVIRDC World Trade Center, Mumbai and All India Association of Industries.

Here’s how to stressed MSME would benefit:

  1. Under a pre-packaged process, main stakeholders such as creditors and shareholders come together to identify a prospective buyer and negotiate a resolution plan before approaching the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
  2. Rudra said under the pre-packaged insolvency resolution system, the government has given an opportunity for MSMEs to resolve their stress at an early stage while holding control over their business.
  3. “Now, MSMEs should maintain complete transparency in the whole resolution process to regain trust and confidence of lenders,” Rudra said.

Meanwhile, AZB & Partners cofounder Bahram N Vakil said MSME promoters should file for resolution with the NCLT only after having a robust base plan. According to a report by PTI, Vakil said that if the promoters could come out with a resolution plan with a minimum possible haircut for operational creditors and if it is also acceptable to the committee of creditors, then the chances of such plans being challenged in the Swiss challenge auction are less.

 

 

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MSME

MSME Credit Moves Towards Pre-Pandemic Levels, Witnesses a Growth of 5.7%: Report

The latest MSME Pulse Report by TansUnion CIBIL shows that the credit in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises have witnessed a growth owing to the support of central government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). As per the recent report, the MSME credit grew by 5.7 per cent YoY and around 3.5 QoQ in September 2020. The report also indicated that the Public Sector Banks are progressively taking the lead in providing quick loans and credits to the MSME sector, thereby ensuring an increased market share for themselves. Not only the PSBs, even the private sector banks are moving back to the pre-COVID-19 levels, with 22 per cent YoY growth in inquiries in December 2020. For the public sector banks, the same was recorded at 9 per cent. Indian SMEs Plan To Expand Businesses As Economy Revives, Restoration of Business Activities Likely To Gain Momentum Post COVID-19 Era: Survey.

Meanwhile, the inquiry trends in Commercial credit touched pre-COVID levels of 13 per cent in December 2020 after experiencing a sharp plunge in April 2020 owning to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent economic lockdown. The total on-balance sheet commercial lending exposure in India stood at Rs 71.25 Lakh Crore with a growth rate of 2.1 per cent YoY as in September 2020. As per report, for MSME sector it stood at Rs 19.09 Lakh Crore with a yearly growth rate of 5.7 per cent in all the sub segments of micro, small and medium enterprises. The Centre released the 17tth Installment of GST Compensation: What it means for States & UTs?

As per the MSME Pulse Report, the high risk MSME borrowers with a CIBIL rank between 7 to 10 secured the maximum benefits from the rise in approval rates. Meanwhile, the NPA (Non-Performing Asset) ratio saw a decline to 12.1 per cent in September 2020. It is being reasoned as a consequence of the Supreme Court order of not declaring NPAs till further notice. Moreover, as per a finance ministry release, total loans sanctioned under ECLGS stand at Rs 2.1 Lakh Crore of which Rs 1.65 Lkah Crore has already been disbursed.

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MSME

MSME Loans: Bank of Maharashtra Ties Up With LoanTap Credit for Co-Lending to MSMEs

Mumbai, February 9: In a bid to facilitate loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the state-owned Bank of Maharashtra inked a pact with LoanTap Credit on Monday. In a statement, the Bank said that it has entered into a co-lending agreement with the Pune-based non-banking financial company LoanTap Credit Products to help MSMEs in loans. Under the co-lending model, the bank will have an exposure of up to 80 percent while the rest will be borne by the LoanTap, the bank said in a release.

Bank of Maharashtra managing director and CEO AS Rajeev said that the co-lending is the system introduced by RBI in the wake of the liquidity crisis at non-banking finance companies. This is done to enhance the credit flow to the unserved and underserved sector and make available funds to the ultimate beneficiary at an affordable cost.

The RBI in September 2018, RBI had come out with a co-origination model between banks and NBFCs for providing credit to the priority sector. Last year in November, RBI rechristened the scheme as Co-Lending Model (CLM), and revised the terms to provide greater operational flexibility to the lending institutions.

BoM’s executive director Hemant Tamta said the co-lending model shall help the bank to meet the priority sector lending target. It will be beneficial for all NBFCs having wider outreach and customers, who will be facilitated with low cost credit from banks.

The co-lending model provides ease of loan sanctions at borrower’s convenience through digital lending platforms, which cover end-to-end loan processing cycle without manual intervention, from on-boarding of customers to loan disbursement and monitoring.

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MSME

MSME Sector in India Gets Major Boost As Banks Sanction Rs 2.05 Lakh Cr Loans to 81 Lakh MSMEs Under Credit Guarantee Scheme

New Delhi, December 12: With an aim to help the MSME sector which was impacted by disruptions caused due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Ministry on Friday said banks have sanctioned loans worth Rs 2,05,563 crore to about 81 lakh accounts under the Rs 3-lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for the MSME sector. In a series of tweets, the Finance Ministry said that as many as 40 lakh MSME accounts have received Rs 1,58,626 crore till December 4. Another tweet informed that Rs 3 lakh cr Collateral-Free Guaranteed Loans – Budgetary provision of Rs 4,000 crore made for the Scheme in First Supplementary Demand for Grants for FY 2020-21.

While announcing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that Rs 2.05 lakh crore sanctioned and Rs 1.52 lakh crore disbursed under ECLGS 1.0. “As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 3.0 (announced on November 12), ECLGS Scheme has been extended through ECLGS 2.0 for the 26 stress sectors and health care sector with credit outstanding of above Rs 50 crore and up to Rs 500 crore as on February 29, 2020,” a tweet said. Credit Guarantee Scheme: Banks Sanction Rs 1.86 Lakh Cr to 50 Lakh MSMEs Impacted by Slowdown Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Finance Ministry said that under ECLGS 2.0, entities with outstanding credit above Rs 50 crore and not exceeding Rs 500 crore as on February 29, 2020, which were less than or equal to 30 days past due as on February 29, 2020 are eligible. The loans provided under ECLGS 2.0 will have a five-year tenor, with a 12-month moratorium on repayment of principal. Meanwhile, the entire Scheme (ECLGS 1.0 and ECLGS 2.0) valid till March 31, 2021, it said.

As part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package, the government has announced to cover 2.5 crore farmers under the KCC scheme with a credit boost of Rs 2 lakh crore through a special saturation drive.

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MSME

Big Relief for MSMEs! Ahead of Diwali, Govt Waives Interest on Interest for Loans Up to Rs 2 Crore to Help MSME Borrowers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

New Delhi, October 25: With the onset of the upcoming festive season, the government announced a major relief to borrowers. The Modi government on Friday announced waiver of interest on interest for loans up to Rs 2 crore irrespective of whether moratorium was availed or not. Reports inform that the Department of Financial Services came out with operational guidelines in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s direction to implement the interest waiver scheme. The scheme is likely to cost the exchequer Rs 6,500 crore.

MSME loans, housing loan, education loans, credit card dues, auto loans, consumer durable loans and consumption loans are covered under the scheme. Talking about the eligibility criteria mentioned in the guidelines, the accounts should be standard as on February 29 which means that it should not be Non-Performing Asset (NPA).

On October 14, the top Court had directed the Centre to implement the interest waiver on loans of up to Rs 2 crore  under the RBI moratorium scheme ‘as soon as possible’ in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The top Court said that the common man’s Diwali is in the hands of the government. As per the guidelines, the scheme can be availed by borrowers in specified loan accounts for a period from March 1 to August 31, 2020. “Borrowers who have loan accounts having sanctioned limits and outstanding amount of not exceeding Rs 2 crore (aggregate of all facilities with lending institutions) as on February 29 shall be eligible for the scheme,” it said.

As per the scheme, the lending institutions shall credit the difference between compound interest and simple interest with regard to the eligible borrowers in respective accounts for the said period irrespective of whether the borrower fully or partially availed the moratorium on repayment of loan announced by the RBI on March 27, 2020. The scheme is also applicable on those who have not availed the moratorium scheme and continued with the repayment of loans.

The lending institutions after crediting the amount will claim the reimbursement from the central government. Hearing the matter on October 14, the Supreme Court observed that it was concerned about how the benefit of interest waiver would be given to borrowers and said the Centre has taken a “welcome decision” by taking note of plight of the common man, but authorities have not issued any order in this regard.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had said that ‘Something concrete has to be done’ adding that the benefits of waivers to borrowers up to Rs 2 crore must be implemented as soon as possible. The top court, which posted the matter for hearing on November 2, told the advocates appearing for the Centre and banks that “Diwali is in your hand”.

The Centre recently told the apex court that going any further than the fiscal policy decisions already taken, such as waiver of compound interest charged on loans of up to Rs 2 crore for six months moratorium period, may be “detrimental” to the overall economic scenario, the national economy and banks may not take “inevitable financial constraints”. The top court is hearing a batch of petitions which have raised issues concerning the six-month loan moratorium period announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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MSME

MSMEs in India Get Big Relief! Govt Ready to Waive ‘Interest on Interest’ on Loans Up to Rs 2 Crore During Moratorium

New Delhi, October 17: In a major relief to thousands of individuals and MSME borrowers in India, the Modi government announced that it is ready to waive ‘interest on interest’ on loan up to Rs 2 crore during moratorium. In an affidavit filed on October 3, the government informed the Supreme Court that it has taken a decision to waive ‘interest on interest’ on loans up to Rs 2 crore during the six-month moratorium period. The affidavit said that the only solution is that the government should bear the burden resulting from waiver of compound interest.

The retail borrowers and small businesses are the ones who have been worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. After the Centre expressed its willingness to waive off ‘interest on interest’ charges on loans up to Rs 2 crore for six months through August, the benefit will now be extended for loans availed by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), education loans, housing, consumer durables, credit card dues among others.

The categories of loans up to Rs 2 crore include- MSME loans, education loans, housing loans, consumer durable loans, credit card dues, auto loans, and personal loans to professional and consumption loans. The Centre said, “After careful consideration and weighing all possible options, the respondent Union of India has decided to continue the tradition of handholding the small borrowers”.

In the affidavit, the Centre added saying that it is impossible for the banks to bear the burden resulting from waiver of compound interest without passing on the financial impact to the depositors or affecting their net worth adversely, which would not be in larger public interest. “The government, therefore, has decided that the relief on waiver of compound interest during the six-month moratorium period shall be limited to the most vulnerable category of borrowers”, the affidavit said.

According to a report by IANS, after the recommendations of an expert committee, the Centre has altered its stand. Earlier, the RBI and Centre had argued against waiver of interest on interest, as it would be against the interests of other stakeholders, especially depositors, and also unfair to those who have paid their dues.

Background:

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, RS Reddy and MR Shah had requested the Centre to have again consider its decision in the backdrop of financial hardship faced by many amid the coronavirus pandemic. Although, the top court had agreed to not waive interest altogether. The Centre said that the top Court would be satisfied that the government bearing this burden would naturally have an impact on several other pressing commitments being faced by the nation, including meeting direct costs association with the pandemic management.

The Centre also cited the example of waiving interest on interest for banks. “In case of SBI alone, waiver of six months’ interest would completely wipe out over half of the bank’s net worth which has accumulated over nearly 65 years of its existence”, the affidavit read. The Supreme Court will take up the matter on October 5 for further hearing. A clutch of petitions was filed in the top court seeking waiver of interest on interest on the deferred EMIs during the moratorium.

 

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MSME

MSME Loans Update: Interest Subvention Scheme on MSMEs Loans Extended Till End of March 31, 2021

Mumbai, October 8: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that the two percent interest subvention scheme for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on loans extended by co-operative banks has now been extended till March 31, 2021. Moreover, the terms of the scheme have also been tweaked. In November 2018, the government had announced the ”Interest Subvention Scheme for MSMEs 2018” for scheduled commercial banks for two financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20. With the new development in place, the scheme has now been extended for the financial year 2020-21.

According to reports, co-operative banks also became as eligible lending institutions effective from March 3, 2020 and the coverage of the scheme is limited to all term loans and working capital to the extent of Rs 100 lakh. The scheme provides for an interest relief of two per cent per annum to eligible MSMEs.

The RBI, in a notification, said certain operational guidelines for the scheme have been further modified by the government. The validity of the scheme has been extended till March 31, 2021. “Accordingly, fresh or incremental term loan / working capital limit extended by co-operative banks with effect from March 3, 2020 will be eligible for coverage under the scheme,” RBI said.

A report by PTI said that the requirement of Udyog Aadhaar Number (UAN) may be dispensed with for units eligible for GST. Units not required to obtain GST may either submit Income Tax Permanent Account Number (PAN) or their loan account must be categorised as MSME by the concerned bank, the RBI said. Moreover, RBI has asked co-operative banks to take appropriate action as envisaged in the operational guidelines and issue necessary instructions to their branches or controlling offices for successful implementation of the scheme.

Reports inform that according to the scheme, the loan accounts on the date of filing claim should not have been declared as non-performing assets (NPAs). No interest subvention would be admissible for any period during which the account remains NPA.