Is the Govt Establishing a High-Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat to Strengthen NBFCs?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) Sending a decisive signal regarding India's vigorous financial sector to the global audience, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Sunday that the government is set to establish a high-level committee on banking for Viksit Bharat to maintain the momentum of reforms.
This committee will assess the entire banking framework and propose modifications to facilitate India's forthcoming phase of economic expansion. Concurrently, it will emphasize financial stability, inclusion, and consumer protection, as highlighted by Sitharaman during her 9th consecutive Budget address in Parliament.
She noted that Indian banks are currently in a robust state, boasting healthy balance sheets, substantial profits, and improved management of non-performing assets. With asset quality on the rise and coverage surpassing 98%, the sector is perceived as stable and primed for further growth.
Moreover, she mentioned that to enhance the efficiency of public sector NBFCs, the government intends to reform them into larger, more resilient entities such as the Power Finance Corporation and the Rural Electrification Corporation.
In a move to attract foreign investors, the regulations governing non-debt investments under foreign exchange laws will be revised. The objective is to modernize these rules, making them more user-friendly and aligned with India's evolving economic priorities, according to the Finance Minister.
The government also aims to fortify the corporate bond market by launching a market-making framework that provides access to funding and derivatives based on corporate bond indices. Furthermore, total return swaps on corporate bonds will also be introduced.
To encourage the municipal bond market, larger cities that issue high-value bonds will receive incentives of Rs 100 crore for a single bond issuance exceeding Rs 1,000 crore, building on the existing ‘Amrit’ scheme.
Throughout the Budget preparation process, a variety of inputs have been gathered from the nation's citizens, including the youth, via different platforms.