Covid-19 relief: You can defer 3 EMIs but that may be a very costly option

SBI informed customers that in some cases, deferring 3 EMIs on a home loan may force the borrower to pay 8 more EMIs.

After RBI allowed commercial banks to provide their customers a moratorium of three months for repayment of term loans, public sector banks have sprung into action. Public sector banks have informed their customers about deferment of EMIs and interest dues to help soften the blow due the coronavirus crisis. The deferment may come at a price though.

The country's largest lender State Bank of India on Wednesday warned borrowers that deferment of equated monthly instalments (EMIs) offered under the RBI's relief package on account of COVID-19 could put an additional cost on them. The lender also advised borrowers to repay their loans if they are in a position to do the same.

SBI said on its website that deferring the EMIs for a home loan of Rs 30 lakhs with a remaining maturity of 15 years, the net additional interest would be approximately Rs 2.34 lakhs, which is equal to eight EMIs. In other words, if customers defers three EMIs then they will end up paying 8 EMIs more.

Last week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave a relief package for retail borrowers and businesses, by way of announcing a three-month moratorium on payment of all term loans due between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2020.

The dispensation is aimed to mitigate the burden of debt servicing brought about by disruptions on account of COVID 19 pandemic and to ensure the continuity of viable businesses.

"In terms of RBI COVID-19 regulatory package, SBI has initiated steps to defer the instalments and interest/EMIs on term loans falling due between March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020 and extended the repaymentperiod by 3 months. The interest on working capital facilities for the period March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020 is also deferred to June 30, 2020," country''s largest lender SBI said.

SBI lowers lending rate by up to 15 bps; 10th cut in current fiscal

Overnight and one-month MCLRs have been reduced by 15 basis points to 7.45 per cent each. Three-month MCLR has been revised to 7.50 per cent from 7.65 per cent.

The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday said it has reduced its marginal cost of fund-based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 15 basis points across various tenors, effective March 10.

The bank has reduced its one-year MCLR by 10 basis points to 7.75 per cent from 7.85 per cent earlier, the SBI said.

This is 10th consecutive cut in MCLR by the bank in the current fiscal.

Overnight and one-month MCLRs have been reduced by 15 basis points to 7.45 per cent each. Three-month MCLR has been revised to 7.50 per cent from 7.65 per cent.

The new two-year and three-year MCLRs stand reduced by 10 basis points to 7.95 per cent and 8.05 per cent, respectively.

On Monday, another state-run lender Union Bank of India had announced cut in its MCLR by 10 basis points across all tenors, effective March 11.

This is the ninth consecutive rate cut announced by the Mumbai-based bank, since July 2019.

The bank has cut its one-year MCLR to 8 per cent from 8.10 per cent. The overnight MCLR has been revised to 7.55 per cent, while the new one month rate stands at 7.60 per cent, the bank had said.

Public sector banks merger: Modi govt to announce big bang plan soon

Finance ministry has called a meeting with chief executives of ten public sector banks, on Friday.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has readied its mega plan for merging multiple set of public sector banks (PSB) and is set to make an announcement anytime soon, according to multiple sources.

The department of financial services in the finance ministry has called a meeting with chief executives of ten public sector banks, which are seen as top contenders for merger, on Friday.

The banks invited for consultations on Friday are: Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, United Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, United Bank, Allahabad Bank, Corporation Bank, Syndicate Bank and Andhra Bank.

“The PSB merger will be announced anytime soon as part of the government's reforms agenda,” said a top source familiar with the development.

Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India and Canara Bank might be banks which will be subsuming other PSBs.

“It looks like PNB will be merged with three more banks, including Andhra Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce,” another source said.

In her press briefings recently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been dropping hints of two more set of reform measures that the government is set to announce.

For the first time, under the Narendra Modi government’s tenure, two set of PSB mergers took place — One, five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank merged with State Bank of India (April 2017), and two, Dena Bank, Vijaya Bank merged with Bank of Baroda which came into effect from April 1 this year.

The central government has to consult the RBI before formulating a plan for PSB merger, according to the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts of 1970 and 1980.

Sources said the central government has already consulted the RBI regarding its merger plans earlier this year.

The plan for PSB merger has to be approved by a group of ministers, known as the alternative mechanism. Sitharaman and commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal are a part of it.

Business Standard