Bad loans problem can't be solved by banks' recapitalisation
Elaborating on the issue, Reddy said NPAs are a "balance sheet" problem and, therefore, a "substantive issue".
There is no "political economy consensus" on tackling the mounting problem of bad loans of banks, which cannot be resolved by their simple recapitalisation, a former head of India`s central bank said on Friday.
"The fact that the overwhelming proportion of non-performing assets (NPAs) are with the public sector banks shows that the reform will have to go much beyond simply recapitalising the banks," former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Y.V. Reddy said here while delivering the Raja Chelliah Memorial Lecture on "Fiscal-Monetary Policy Interface" organised by National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
"Besides, professional approach and capacity to evaluate lending proposals and risks cannot be expected in public-owned institutions bailing them out periodically with taxpayers` money," he said.
The magnitude of the problem can be guaged from the NPA figures of state-run banks, which at the end of the current fiscal`s second quarter that ended in September, rose to Rs 6.3 lakh crore, as compared to Rs 5.5 lakh crore at the end of the first quarter.
Elaborating on the issue, Reddy said NPAs are a "balance sheet" problem and, therefore, a "substantive issue".
"Recapitalisation is actually putting resources in an enterprise that does not have the capacity to pay back...ultimately, the risk comes back to the public," he said.
"The cumulative risk to the sovereign because of the real sector and financial sector interface is huge," he added.
Reddy said the "common thread" between fiscal and monetary policies, and the financial sector, are the state-run banks.
"The future of the financial system and the modernisation of the financial sector depends on how we overcome the intractable problems of public sector banks. There seems to be a political economy consensus of for no change or minimal change," he added.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Retirement Planning: SIP+SWP combination; Rs 15,000 monthly SIP for 25 years and then Rs 1,52,000 monthly income for 30 years
Top Gold ETF vs Top Large Cap Mutual Fund 10-year Return Calculator: Which has given higher return on Rs 11 lakh investment; see calculations
Retirement Calculator: 40 years of age, Rs 50,000 monthly expenses; what should be retirement corpus and monthly investment
SBI 444-day FD vs Union Bank of India 333-day FD: Know maturity amount on Rs 4 lakh and Rs 8 lakh investments for general and senior citizens
EPF vs SIP vs PPF Calculator: Rs 12,000 monthly investment for 30 years; which can create highest retirement corpus
Home loan EMI vs Mutual Fund SIP Calculator: Rs 70 lakh home loan EMI for 20 years or SIP equal to EMI for 10 years; which can be easier route to buy home; know maths
10:55 AM IST