Monday, November 06, 2006

Why not control NPA in Banks

Finance Minister seems to be worried about lending targets of PSU banks. He admits that credit for housing loan,credit card ad real estate has grown more than expectation and further acknwledges signals of overheating in these sectors. Does he not know that bad accounts are also growing fastly in these segments of loan portfolio and the administration is so weak and votes oriented by politicians that bankers are unable to recover the money from defaulters? Definitely without repayment of loans banks cannot sustain the profitability which they have been exhibiting by manipulating repayment period and by motivating auditors. There is unprecedented rise in real NPA and if hidden NPA taken together it will eat away the capital base of the banks.Anyway if Finance Minister is not bothered of repayment this message as usual goes down to administration down the line including CMD's to BM's in the bank.If he insists now for finance in SME ,Agriculture ad Priority Sector as a whole, bank's head will definitely achieve the target to earn the name and fame as also good will in the eye of Finance Minister so that they get attractive posting and timely promotion. But Ultimately banks and hence public at large have to suffer as a consequance of growing and uncontrollable NPA in Banks.I therefore request our experienced FM to devote one year only for recovery of NPA , tighten the administration and judiciary for expeditious repayment of bad loans. Banks can afford further disbursement comfortably only when loan already lent are properly and timely repaid by all borrowers. Unfortunately banks tend to increase liquidity and increase their capacity to disburse further credit as per sweet will of FM by increasing deposit rate of interest which is temporary solution to the problem of liquidity banks visualise .Without increase in lending rate if banks offer higher rates on deposits they are inviting trouble and nothing else.Before it is too late government should give preferrance to recovery of bad loans ,this is my small appeal