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<keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Tuesday announced a <keyword id="20274081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-guarantee-scheme" source="keywords">credit guarantee scheme</keyword> for facilitating <keyword id="22087606" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="term-loans" source="keywords">term loans</keyword> for <keyword id="19910977" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MSMEs" source="keywords">MSMEs</keyword> to purchase machinery and equipment without collateral or third-party guarantee. In her Budget speech in the Lok Sabha, she said the Budget provides special attention to micro, small &amp; medium enterprises (MSMEs) and manufacturing, particularly labour-intensive units. "We have formulated a package, covering financing, <keyword id="20961204" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regulatory-changes" source="keywords">regulatory changes</keyword> and technology support for MSMEs to help them grow and also compete globally, as mentioned in the interim budget," she said. The credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs in manufacturing will operate on the pooling of credit risks of such entities. "A separately constituted self-financing guarantee fund will provide, to each applicant, guarantee cover up to Rs 100 crore, while the loan amount may be larger," the minister announced in the Budget. The borrower will have to provide an upfront guarantee fee and an annual guarantee fee on the reduced loan balance. She also announced a new mechanism for facilitating the continuation of bank credit to MSMEs during their stress period. Sitharaman said that while being in the 'special mention account' (SMA) stage for reasons beyond their control, MSMEs need credit to continue their business and avoid getting into the NPA stage. "Credit availability will be supported through a guarantee from a government-promoted fund," she added. In another move to help MSMEs, the minister announced a new assessment model for credit to the sector. She said public sector banks will build their in-house capability to assess MSMEs for credit, instead of relying on external assessment. "They will also take a lead in developing or getting developed a new credit assessment model, based on the scoring of digital footprints of MSMEs in the economy," she added. The new assessment model, she said, is expected to be a significant improvement over the traditional assessment of credit eligibility based only on asset or turnover criteria. It will also cover MSMEs without a formal accounting system. Mohammad Athar (Saif), partner and leader capital projects and infrastructure development, PwC India, said the credit guarantee scheme and <keyword id="22514802" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce-export-hubs" source="keywords">e-commerce export hubs</keyword> for MSMEs will enable demand creation and boost India's aspiration of achieving USD 1 trillion in exports by 2030, driven by MSMEs. Sitharaman also announced that to enable MSMEs and traditional artisans to sell their products in international markets, e-commerce export hubs will be set up in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. These hubs, under a seamless regulatory and logistic framework, will facilitate trade and export-related services under one roof. Vivek Jalan, Partner, Tax Connect, a multi-disciplinary firm, said, as requested by the trade and industry bodies and laid down by the Economic Survey, for MSME businesses, the compliance burden is also sought to be relaxed. Litigations will be reduced in the new <keyword id="22517694" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vivaad-Se-Vishwas-Scheme" source="keywords">Vivaad Se Vishwas Scheme</keyword>, he added. Rumki Majumdar, Economist, Deloitte India, said the credit guarantee schemes for MSMEs in the <keyword id="19955573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manufacturing-sector" source="keywords">manufacturing sector</keyword>, facilitating term loans for the purchase of machinery, and formulating packages to finance technology support to them will go a long way to providing access to finance and increasing investments, which have been key challenges in the sector.

FM announces credit guarantee scheme, other measures for MSMEs

The government will provide financial support for <keyword id="19936324" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loans" source="keywords">loans</keyword> up to Rs 10 lakh for <keyword id="19896809" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="higher-education" source="keywords">higher education</keyword> in domestic institutions, <keyword id="20385790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Finance Minister">Union Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nirmala Sitharaman" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nirmala Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> announced on Tuesday. Presenting the <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> for 2024-25, she said e-vouchers for this purpose will be given directly to one lakh students every year with interest subvention of 3 per cent of the loan amount. Upgrading 1,000 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in hub and spoke model, aligning course content with skill needs of industry and revision of model skill loan scheme, are among the measures announced by the Finance Minister for Skill Development sector. "For helping our youth who have not been eligible for any benefit under govt schemes and policies government will provide financial support for loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions. E-vouchers for this purpose will be given directly to one lakh students every year with interest subvention of 3 per cent of the loan amount," Sitharaman said. The Union Budget for 2024-25 will provide Rs 1.48 lakh crore for education, employment and skilling in the country. She said, "1,000 ITIs will be upgraded in hub and spoke model, course content and design will be aligned to the skill needs of industry and new courses will be introduced for emerging needs. I am happy to announce a new centrally sponsored scheme for skill development in which 20 lakh youth will be skilled over period of 5 years". "The model skill loan scheme will be revised to facilitate loans up to RS 7.5 lakh with a guarantee from government promoted fund..this measure is expected to help 25,000 students every year," she added. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present her record seventh consecutive Budget today</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/heres-a-quick-overview-of-pm-modi-3-0-governments-first-budget-to-be-presented-by-fm-nirmala-sitharaman-today/articleshow/111944393.cms" target="_blank">Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today</a>

Budget 2024-25: Govt announces loans up to ₹10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions

<div type="image" title="The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books." agency="ANI" msid="114778648" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The RBI has cracked the regulatory whip on NBFCs and banks, who&amp;#39;ve been pushing microfinance and unsecured loans aggressively to grow their loan books.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds. But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire. <h2>The Wild West of <keyword id="113684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microfinance" source="Orion">microfinance</keyword> and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India. Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system. In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans. Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, IndusInd Bank set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book. See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e. an NPA, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad? Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing! <ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you. <h2> Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers. As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these. In 2022, RBI, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer. So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it. Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?” Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and <keyword id="20117932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="navi-finserv" source="keywords">Navi Finserv</keyword> from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds. To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending instalments of the borrower’s previous loan. Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honour any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs. Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time. <h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%. While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans. In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree! <h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies. Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days. Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself. While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis. Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs. Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its gross NPA for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter. IDFC Bank’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis. Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024. Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.” There has been uninhibited growth in <keyword id="6051027" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unsecured-loan" source="Orion">unsecured loan</keyword>s, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. <keyword id="6376194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kotak-mahindra" source="Orion">Kotak Mahindra</keyword> Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards. <h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far. But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical <keyword id="19897820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="keywords">Bollywood</keyword> headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist. However, that's a story for another day. Do you have a topic in mind you'd want a simpler explanation for, or insights or personal experience to share on personal finance and more? Contact us at businessinsider@timesinternet.in.

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

<div type="image" title="In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit" msid="114284206" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Or, if it leaves the rates unchanged, your EMIs wont budge one bit&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> On September 18, 2024, the <keyword id="19951097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="us-fed" source="keywords">US Fed</keyword> delivered a jumbo-sized surprise to the global economy. Not only did they trim their interest rates by a massive 50 basis points to bring their yields down to 5%, but also hinted at further rate cuts in the upcoming months. This move from the fed and several other central banks globally had pushed expectations high for a similar rate slash closer home, from the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> this month. But governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword>, in a “picture abhi baaki hai” moment, decided to hold the repo rates here steady, leaving them unchanged at 6.5% for the record 10th straight time. Although, he did tinker with the policy stand, changing it from “rate cuts are absolutely off the table” to a more accommodating “we’re okay with bringing down the rates, if needed”. This, rather neutral, stance from India’s financial custodian sparked hopes for a rate cut in December this year. However, the stubborn <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> levels in September have again dented such hopes. As consumers, you may be wondering what all the hullabaloo this is about, since it hardly makes a difference to your regular financial routine. Well, the majority of both economic growth and inflation is closely connected to this policy stance from the central bank and it does have a rather indirect effect on both our earnings and spending. But more directly, it would have clear implications for those looking to own a house. Even the slightest modification of interest rates, or the lack of it, influences the <keyword id="19916018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emi" source="keywords">EMI</keyword> you pay significantly. So, all aspiring homebuyers, is this the right time to take out a loan and buy a house? Can you expect a rate cut anytime soon, and what will that mean for your home-owning dreams? We lay it out. <h2>What’s the connection?</h2>You see, buying a house is no small feat, at least financially. The task becomes even more herculean if you are scouting for your own roof in cities like Delhi, Noida, Bangalore or Mumbai where, as Circuit from Munnabhai says, “room shuru hote hi khatam ho jata hai”. Naturally, you’ll have to take a <keyword id="6354730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan" source="Orion">home loan</keyword> from the bank. Don’t be mistaken, the bank won't give you a loan that covers 100% of the value of the property you want to own. Rather, your loan amount will be equivalent to a certain percentage of the property’s total value. RBI’s guidelines on this are pretty clear: <ul><li>If your loan amount is up to Rs 30 lakh, you can get a loan worth 90% of the property’s value.</li></ul><ul><li>If the loan amount is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, you are eligible for a loan worth 80% of the property’s value. </li><li>If you are taking a loan of more than Rs 75 lakh, your loan amount will be equivalent to 70% of the property’s value. </li></ul>Now assuming that you have the money, it's all about paying back the principal amount, but not without a little (read hefty) interest added on top. See, when you’re taking a home loan, you are actually signing up for a long-term, even multi-decadal financial commitment, which will unfailingly present itself to your bank accounts and finances every single month, in the form of EMIs, or equated monthly instalments). When you take a home loan, you can choose to pay the interest in two ways (talk about choices!). One is that you decide to keep a fixed rate of interest throughout the tenure of your home loan. So, if you opt for a 25-year fixed-rate home loan at the rate of 8.8% p.a., you’ll have to pay interest at this rate for the next 25 years, till your entire loan is paid off. Yes, you can go backsies and switch to a floating-rate home loan by paying a fee. Floating, as the name suggests, means that your interest rate is not set in stone. But starting October 2019, when it comes to a floating interest rate home loan, your payable interest and EMIs are directly impacted by any changes in <keyword id="20094323" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="repo-rate" source="keywords">repo rate</keyword>, which were left unchanged by RBI this time around. Why are these two so chummy, you might ask. Well, <keyword id="173069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-loan-interest" source="Orion">home loan interest</keyword> rates are a sum of two things: <ol><li>Repo Rate (the rate at which RBI lends money to banks)</li><li>Operational cost + margins</li></ol>Any plus or minus in this equation would send your home loan interests tanking, or skyrocketing. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat explains that any change in the repo rates impacts the cost of funds and thereby the home loan interest rates. “When the interest rates are expected to reduce, the corresponding impact will be in the form of a reduced EMI. Home loan borrowers should always try to borrow at a floating rate when interest rates are expected to reduce and at a fixed rate when the interest rates are expected to increase. This minimizes the outflow in the form of EMIs that the home loan borrowers will experience”, he continues. So, no change in repo rates means no change in your home loan interest payout and no financial relief whatsoever. A rate cut, which most experts are anticipating will start this December, would mean your EMI payments come down, and your wallet might save a little more. But there’s also a chance of an UNO reverse happening. In case RBI is in the mood to hike the interest, your home loan EMIs might end up taking more from your pockets. Consider this. You took a floating interest rate home loan worth Rs 50 lakh in January 2022 at 8% p.a., for a period of 20 years. This brings your total monthly EMI to Rs Rs 41,822. But, as luck would (or won't) have it, RBI raised the interest rate by 250 basis points between May 2022 and February 2023, bringing it to its current status of 6.5%. Some back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that now, your home loan interest payout will also rise by a hefty 2.5%, taking the total to 10.5%. In other words, you’ll have to dish out Rs 49,919 per month as EMI. Now, won't you heave a sigh of relief if the RBI were to bring down the interest rate by say, even 50 basis points, or 0.5%? Agreed, your EMI will come down just marginally, to Rs 48,251. But look at this over a 20-year period, and you’ll see how big the difference is. <h2>Are rates set to change anytime soon?</h2>Generally, RBI hikes the repo rates if it sees inflation spiralling out of control. Then, in a bid to reduce consumer spending, it raises interest rates to make borrowing expensive. But when the apex bank sees sluggish consumption in the economy, inflation in control and wants to boost spending, it slashes down on interest rates, making it more lucrative for people to borrow. As of now, most experts are not anticipating any changes in the interest rates anytime soon. This means home loans are not getting cheaper anytime soon. The CPI data, which came out yesterday, saw inflation rise to 5.49% in September, compared to 3.65% last month. Food and beverage prices jumped to a four-month high of 8.36% in September, as opposed to a 5.3% rise in August. So a rate cut seems a no-go at the moment! Apurva Sheth, Head of Market Perspectives and Research, SAMCO Securities explains that the RBI had probably expected a hardening of inflation and that's why it chose to hold on to the rates in the monetary policy announcement last week. “Now, it seems that RBI will take a cautious stance going ahead and will not be in a hurry into rate cuts like its global peers”, he added. In all this, one thing is clear, in the grand movie of the Indian economy, the RBI has chosen stability over drama. And just like in every good Bollywood film, we're left wondering what twist the sequel will bring. Until then, it might be “The End" for rate cuts, but the show must go on for the Indian economy!

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

India's <keyword id="22879519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="organised-gold-loan-market" source="keywords">organised gold loan market</keyword> is projected to double in the next five years to Rs 14.19 lakh crore despite expected moderation in growth due to stricter regulations, according to a <keyword id="19938520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PwC-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PwC India" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="PwC India">PwC India</keyword> report. In fiscal 2023-24, the organised <keyword id="21627536" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-loan-market" source="keywords">gold loan market</keyword> demonstrated substantial growth, reaching a valuation of Rs 7.1 lakh crore, according to the report titled 'Striking gold: The rise of India's gold loan market' . "It is expected to reach around Rs 14.19 lakh crore by FY 2029 at a five-year CAGR of 14.85 %," it said. Indian families own massive quantities of gold, estimated at 25,000 tonne. Existing gold holdings with <keyword id="19895507" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-households" source="keywords">Indian households</keyword> are valued at roughly Rs 126 lakh crore, the report said. It further said the gold loan market is poised to see moderate growth over the next two years, as gold lenders are facing increased scrutiny from regulatory authorities regarding loan-to-value (LTV) maintenance and auction-related procedures. "The second-largest player in the gold loan market being inactive would have an impact on market growth in FY25," the report said. Also, the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>'s advisory to <keyword id="19938300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NBFCs" source="keywords">NBFCs</keyword> on cash disbursement, which limits the amount of cash disbursal to Rs 20,000, could push customers to rely on the unorganised sector. The regulator has also raised concerns about the evaluation process for lending activities through fintech startups. The increased regulatory scrutiny and revised guidelines have led to a dip in the share prices of leading NBFCs, PwC said. "Gold loan lenders are expected to use this period to ensure that they are compliant with all regulatory guidelines while undertaking several measures to optimise their middle and back offices through digitisation initiatives," it said. Lenders are also expected to implement cost optimisation initiatives that will help drive up the bottom-line profitability of their companies and enhance investor confidence which has slightly depleted as a result of the regulatory scrutiny. Furthermore, the report said rising gold prices over the past financial year may also drive lenders to take a cautious approach to lending rates and pricing as any downward movement in gold prices will result in a substantial LTV breach that will further create operational issues for lenders in the form of auctions. "The growth of the gold loan market is expected to be steered by both banks and NBFCs," the report said. The emergence of digital gold loan aggregator platforms and their strategic collaboration with gold loan lenders such as banks and NBFCs will be a key driving factor for the growth of the industry, enabling gold loan lenders to tap into a previously untapped segment of digitally savvy customers. "While the forecasted growth of the gold loan market means potential growth for all players, the impact on the players may vary. Banks are expected to benefit from their lower interest rates," PwC said. Jaikrishnan G, Partner (Financial Services), PwC India said lending against gold is the oldest form of credit. It remains one of the most attractive options for consumer as well as lenders. "High return-on-assets, manageable risk, timely regulatory interventions, growing adoption, tech-enabled operating models have all contributed to sector growth. As India embraces the vision of Viksit Bharat, gold loans will provide much needed liquidity and credit access to growing small and medium entrepreneur segments," he said. The report further said growth by NBFCs is expected to be fuelled by their expansion and increased outreach to regions with low penetration, bringing new credit customers to the financial services ecosystem. Also, fintechs will play a critical role in bringing in the required technology and innovation into the industry, thus helping lenders to create unique product propositions to boost growth, it said. <keyword id="20037818" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-India" source="keywords">South India</keyword> contributes to a vast extent, as it emerges as the dominant market for gold loans, with 79.1% share of the total outstanding loans. The report also noted that an assumption can be made that the entire Rs 126 lakh crore worth of gold will not be available for pledging due to various reasons like jewelry belonging to religious institutions, jewellery with emotional value, and certain jewellery held by individuals who are not in need of finance.

Gold loan market projected to double in 5 years to Rs 14.19 lakh crore, says PwC India's report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President Joe Biden's key plans for broad student-debt relief are blocked in court.</li><li>Neither former President Trump nor VP Kamala Harris would be able to act on them imminently.</li></ul>Millions of federal student-loan borrowers remain in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-blocked-biden-debt-cancellation-education-department-relief-2024-10">a debt-relief limbo</a> that the election won't immediately solve.That's because President Joe Biden's latest attempt to grant broad relief is blocked in court by a lawsuit from GOP-led states. Vice President Kamala Harris has said she supports Biden's efforts, but if she wins she won't have the option to move it forward until the court reaches a decision. Former President Donald Trump has opposed forgiveness altogether and has called for abolishing the Education Department.Despite its inability to provide broad cancellation, Biden's Education Department has issued targeted relief that has given nearly 5 million borrowers debt cancellation to date.Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal has been working on these efforts since 2021, trying to improve a higher education system that heavily relies on<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-repayment-issues-debt-relief-broken-industry-2023-9"> student loans</a>.He told Business Insider that shifting to a new administration's priorities will be "a baton race." He hopes the next president continues his work of thinking beyond just relief."We need to make sure that we run the student loan programs in a way that protects students from being left with unaffordable debts," he said. "But we also need to invest in making those programs affordable on the front end and then making sure that those programs reliably lead to graduation and a job."The issue has hardly been mentioned by the presidential candidates — drowned out by concerns about the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-expensive-goods-price-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-trump-harris-2024-10">economy</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-harris-immigration-jobs-arizona-economy-mass-deportation-employment-wages-2024-10">immigration</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-cut-tariff-plan-outlook-presidential-election-scenarios-harris-trump-2024-10">taxes</a>. It's a big turnaround from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-debt-forgiveness-biden-campaign-promises-education-department-2021-6">2020 election</a> when candidates made ambitious campaign promises. That's likely because polling shows it's not a top issue for voters. Just 18% of respondents said student-debt relief would impact their vote in a May Bankrate<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/student-loans-presidential-elections-survey/#struggling"> survey</a>, and a separate May <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-cancellation-forgiveness-college-debt-e5ad2748058cfd037e0323321f532836">survey</a> by the AP-NORC found just three in 10 adults approved of Biden's actions on the issue.While over 40 million Americans still hold student loan balances of about $38,000 on average, and it's keeping them from buying homes, starting a family, or saving for retirement, any future president has limited motivations — or options — for broad relief.<h2 id="de4b5f8c-f342-470c-b137-e8b952968ece">Without broad cancellation, Biden has been chipping away at relief for targeted groups of borrowers</h2>Despite getting stuck on broad relief, Biden's Education Department has spent the last four years making a slew of changes to relief programs like<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-borrowers-getting-debt-cancellation-biden-relief-2024-7"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness</a>,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-art-institutes-borrower-defense-debt-cancellation-biden-2024-5"> borrower defense to repayment</a> for defrauded borrowers, and the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-new-gainful-employment-rule-student-loan-debt-relief-2023-9"> gainful employment rule</a>, which ensures a borrower's debt doesn't pile up after they graduate.The department also implemented a new income-driven repayment plan, SAVE, intended to lower monthly payments and provide a shorter timeline for forgiveness. The plan has been blocked in court since July following challenges from GOP-led states, and 8 million enrolled borrowers won't have to make payments for at least six more months as the Education Department works to reprogram its systems and adjust repayment plans for impacted borrowers.Some borrowers have lost hope. Constance, 65, has nearly $200,000 in student debt, an amount that's ballooned since she graduated from law school in 1994. Constance — who requested to go by her first name for privacy — went through periods during which her kids' expenses took up most of her salary. She placed her student loans on deferment, meaning she didn't make payments but interest accrued."It's just out of control at this point, and there's no way I'm going to be able to pay it off," Constance said.She's disappointed because she would likely qualify for Biden's<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-announces-new-student-loan-forgiveness-plan-who-qualifies-relief-2024-4"> second attempt at broader student-debt relief</a>, which has been blocked in court.Specifically, the plan would cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for borrowers whose balances have grown because of unpaid interest and provide relief for borrowers who first entered repayment at least 20 years ago.On October 25, the Education Department unveiled a separate proposal to provide relief to borrowers<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-plan-borrowers-facing-financial-hardship-education-department-2024-10"> experiencing long-term financial hardship</a> that prevents them from repaying their loans, including challenges with high childcare or healthcare costs. The department expects to finalize the plan in 2025, and it did not comment on how a future administration could impact the relief.Sara Partridge, associate director for higher education policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress Action Fund, told BI that it's hard to predict what relief will come for student-loan borrowers as legal challenges remain ongoing."We will likely need to see how the current case against the Plan B rule plays out to have a better understanding of what exactly is possible in the future," Partridge said.Kvaal said that moving forward, he wants to focus on the way the country finances higher education. He also said that borrowers should expect more action on student-loan industry regulation, pointing to the Education Department's restructuring of servicers' contracts over the past year. Those changes have enabled the department to process debt relief applications quicker and implement more safeguards for borrowers to ensure their servicers are fulfilling their contractual obligations.<h2 id="a6faf6f8-07ba-4a7e-9d8c-539861222c09">Harris vs. Trump on student loans</h2>Even though both Harris and Trump provided minimal detail on how they would address student debt, Partridge said it's helpful to look back on their previous actions."I would expect continued improvements and limited expansions of debt relief where legally possible under a Harris-Walz administration," Partridge said.She said the Trump administration "didn't take any major steps" to fix long-standing issues, like backlogs with Public Service Loan Forgiveness and borrower defense applications. Borrowers should not expect expanded relief or reform should Trump win the election. He also lauded the Supreme Court decision striking down Biden's debt relief.The composition of Congress will also impact what's in store for student-loan borrowers — Republican control would mean that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-bill-overhaul-student-loan-repayment-stop-debt-relief-foxx-2024-1">previously introduced legislation</a> to prevent relief could be signed into law."Where is the forgiveness for the guy who didn't go to college but is working to pay off the loan on the truck he takes to work? What about the woman who paid off her student loans, but is now struggling to afford her mortgage? Is the administration providing them relief? Of course not," Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Education Committee, said in a recent statement.Regardless of who wins the election, legal challenges to debt relief will keep borrowers in limbo. Kvaal said the fight isn't over, and the Biden administration will work to provide relief under its authority as long as it can."It has gone to the full extent of its authority to offer relief to borrowers," Kvaal said. "We are fighting currently in court to offer more debt relief, but we also are taking dozens of actions that are not contested in court that have helped millions of borrowers."

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FM announces credit guarantee scheme, other measures for MSMEs

PTI

Budget 2024-25: Govt announces loans up to ₹10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions

PTI

Simply Put: Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

Ira Alok Puranik

Simply Put: Boom or bust — how RBI’s decision to leave rates unchanged affects homebuyers

Ira Alok Puranik

Gold loan market projected to double in 5 years to Rs 14.19 lakh crore, says PwC India's report

PTI

Millions of student-loan borrowers are waiting for broad debt cancellation. The next president won't have any immediate answers.

Ayelet Sheffey

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