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The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, is set to offer a tremendous opportunity for young Indians to gain hands-on experience in leading companies across diverse sectors. As of October 12, the portal for this ambitious initiative is open for registrations, with over 90,000 internship positions posted by top companies like <keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword>, <keyword id="19950119" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Consultancy-Services" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Consultancy Services" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Consultancy Services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> (TCS), ONGC, Maruti Suzuki, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about how to apply, the companies participating, and answers to frequently asked questions. <h2>Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for the <keyword id="23273918" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-Internship-Scheme" source="keywords">PM Internship Scheme</keyword></h2><ol><li>Visit the Official Portal: The PM Internship Scheme’s application process takes place on the official website,<a href="http://pminternship.mca.gov.in"> pminternship.mca.gov.in</a>.</li><li>Register and Set Up Your Profile: After opening the portal, you’ll need to register and fill out basic information, including educational qualifications, age, and internship preferences.</li><li>Explore Internship Listings: With over 90,000 internships available from 193 companies, you can browse listings in sectors like Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, Banking, and more. Each listing will provide details on job roles, skills required, and specific fields like Operations Management, Production, Maintenance, and Sales.</li><li>Apply for Your Chosen Roles: You can apply for up to five internships based on your interests, qualifications, and preferred location. The portal allows for an easy application submission and lets you track your applications.</li><li>Confirmation and Next Steps: Once you apply, download the confirmation page for reference. Internships are set to begin on December 2, 2024, so selected candidates will receive further instructions as the start date approaches.</li></ol><h2>Major Companies Participating in the PM Internship Scheme</h2>Here are some of the top companies that have already posted internships on the portal, with more joining every day: <ul><li>Reliance Industries Ltd.</li><li>HDFC Bank</li><li>Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)</li><li>Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)</li><li>State Bank of India (SBI)</li><li>Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.</li><li>Jubilant FoodWorks</li><li>Larsen &amp; Toubro Ltd.</li><li>Eicher Motors Ltd.</li><li>Muthoot Finance</li></ul>These companies are providing internships across over 20 fields, covering a wide range of skills and sectors. The biggest opportunities are currently in the Oil &amp; Gas sector, followed by industries like Travel, Automotive, and Financial Services. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113986236" title="Why so many entry-level jobs aren&amp;#39;t entry-level" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Key Features of the Internship Scheme</h2>Under the scheme, interns will receive a stipend of Rs 5,000 per month, plus a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 to support miscellaneous expenses. These internships are available across 737 districts in all 37 states and Union Territories, making this a truly inclusive national program. Interns can indulge in many diverse internship roles. From operations to maintenance, sales, marketing, and production, these internships offer a variety of hands-on experiences that match real-world corporate needs. <h2>FAQs about the PM Internship Scheme</h2><h5>Who is eligible?</h5>The scheme is open to Indian citizens aged 21 to 24 who are not employed full-time or enrolled in full-time study programs. Candidates in online or distance learning programs are eligible. <h5>What sectors offer the most internships?</h5>The largest number of internships are in the Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, and Banking &amp; Financial Services sectors, with positions also available in fields like Manufacturing, IT, and Retail. <h5>When do the internships start?</h5>Internships for this year will begin on December 2, 2024. The scheme aims to facilitate 1.25 lakh internships this financial year and eventually reach one crore internships over the next five years. <h5>What are the application deadlines?</h5>The portal is open from October 12 for candidates to start applying, with companies continuing to post positions as the scheme rolls out. It’s recommended to apply early, as some positions may fill up quickly. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114029056" title="Read 5 résumés that helped techies land $300,000-plus jobs at Google, Meta, Amazon, and Salesforce" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

PM Internship Scheme finally launched — here’s how you can apply to work with Reliance, TCS, SBI and more!

New Delhi: India's Consumer Price Index (<keyword id="20468215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CPI" source="keywords">CPI</keyword>) <keyword id="19895000" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="inflation" source="keywords">inflation</keyword> dropped to 3.54 per cent in July 2024, its lowest in nearly five years, largely driven by a decline in <keyword id="20028256" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vegetable" source="keywords">vegetable</keyword> <keyword id="19900607" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prices" source="keywords">prices</keyword>. However, despite this positive development, the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="State Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="State Bank of India">State Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19898108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI" source="keywords">SBI</keyword>) has cautioned that the path forward may be challenging, according to the SBI research report. The dramatic reduction in vegetable inflation, which plummeted from 29.3 per cent in June to a mere 6.8 per cent in July, played a crucial role in achieving this multi-year low. The weighted contribution of vegetables to the overall CPI also shrank from 1.77 per cent in June to 0.55 per cent in July, underscoring their impact on the headline inflation figure. Additionally, the prices of fruits and fuel showed signs of moderation, contributing further to easing inflationary pressures. However, this broad-based relief was tempered by a slight uptick in core CPI inflation, which excludes food and fuel prices. The SBI's latest report highlights that the once-dominant "Follow the Fed" mantra appears to be waning, with an increasing number of central banks prioritizing domestic economic conditions over synchronizing with U.S. rate decisions, signaling a shift in global <keyword id="20104157" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monetary-policy" source="keywords">monetary policy</keyword> dynamics. This decline in CPI marks the first time in half a decade that CPI inflation has dipped below the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) target of 4 per cent, a feat largely attributed to a steep fall in vegetable prices. Core CPI rose from 3.12 per cent in June to 3.30 per cent in July, driven primarily by an increase in mobile tariffs. Notably, the transport and communication segment saw inflation rise sharply from 0.97 per cent in June to 2.48 per cent in July, indicating sector-specific pressures. The moderation in food inflation, which stood at 5.06 per cent year-on-year in July, was significantly influenced by a higher base effect. Despite this, concerns persist over the uneven distribution of monsoon rainfall, particularly in key foodgrain-producing states experiencing deficient precipitation. With La Nina conditions gaining strength, the possibility of excessive rainfall in August and September looms large, raising fears of crop damage that could reignite food price inflation. Looking ahead, inflationary pressures may persist, potentially exceeding the RBI's forecast of 4.5 per cent for FY25. The domestic growth momentum remains robust, with GDP expected to surpass 7 per cent in Q1 FY25. However, geopolitical uncertainties continue to pose risks to the growth outlook. The RBI, maintaining a tight liquidity stance to control inflation, has deferred potential rate cuts to December 2024 or February 2025. State-wise analysis reveals that the majority of states recorded CPI inflation rates below the national average, with only six out of 22 states experiencing higher-than-average inflation. Despite this, significant rural-urban inflation differentials were observed, with most states seeing higher inflation in rural areas compared to urban counterparts. Only four states reported higher urban inflation. Historically, when the U.S. Federal Reserve adjusts its interest rates, global capital flows are impacted, prompting central banks in emerging markets to follow suit. However, while the Fed's recent rate hike cycle (2022-2023) saw a synchronized global response, the current rate-cutting phase is proving to be less coordinated. Central banks in countries like China, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, Canada, and the European Central Bank have already begun reducing rates, while the Fed is expected to initiate cuts in September 2024. India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by 4.2 per cent in June 2024, down from a revised 6.2 per cent in May. The mining sector led the growth with a 10.3 per cent increase, followed by electricity at 8.6 per cent and manufacturing at 2.6 per cent. For the April-June 2024 period, industrial growth stood at 5.2 per cent, compared to 4.7 per cent in the same period the previous year. As India navigates the delicate balance between growth and inflation, the coming months will be critical in shaping the country's economic trajectory, especially with potential global shifts in monetary policy and the evolving monsoon season.

CPI inflation drops to lowest in five years but road ahead could be bumpy: SBI Report

New Delhi: The central government has approved the appointment of a new Chairman and <keyword id="19899229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Managing-Director" source="keywords">Managing Director</keyword> of the <keyword id="19934368" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="State Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="State Bank of India">State Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19898108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sbi" source="keywords">SBI</keyword>) as the current Chairman, <keyword id="20944427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dinesh-Kumar-Khara" source="keywords">Dinesh Kumar Khara</keyword>, is set to retire on August 28. According to a notification by the Department of Personnel &amp; Training, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on August 6 approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for the appointment of <keyword id="22230591" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Challa-Sreenivasulu-Setty" source="keywords">Challa Sreenivasulu Setty</keyword> as chairman of SBI. The ACC has approved the appointment of Setty, 59, the current Managing Director (MD) of SBI as the new Chairman of the country's biggest lender, for a period of three years, effective from the date he assumes office, on or after August 28, 2024. The government order states, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for the appointment of Shri Challa Sreenivasulu Setty (DOB: 26.09.1965), Managing Director (MD), State Bank of India (SBI) as Chairman, SBI for a period of three (03) years w.e.f. the date of assumption of charge of the office, on or after 28.08.2024." Additionally, Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, the current Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of SBI, has been appointed as the new Managing Director. His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes office. The government order read, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for appointment of Shri Rana Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Deputy Managing Director (DMD), State Bank of India (SBI) as Managing Director (MD) in SBI with effect from the date of assumption of office." According to SBI, Challa Sreenivasulu Setty joined the Board of SBI as Managing Director in January 2020 and currently oversees International Banking, Global Markets, and Technology wings of the Bank. He has previously headed the Retail &amp; Digital Banking vertical and various task forces/committees formed by the Government of India. Setty holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers. He began his career with SBI in 1988 as a Probationary Officer. Over his three-decade-long career, he has gained rich experience in corporate credit, retail, digital, and international banking, as well as banking in developed markets. Setty has also held key positions within SBI, including Deputy Managing Director - Stressed Assets Resolution Group, Chief General Manager, and General Manager in the Corporate Accounts Group, Deputy General Manager in the Mid-Corporate Group, and Vice President &amp; Head (Syndications) at SBI's New York Branch. (ANI)

Centre approves appointments of new Chairman, Managing Director of State Bank of India

New Delhi [<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword>], March 1 (ANI): In a research report titled "When 8 per cent becomes the new normal: Decoding the new normals of a GDP on swing," the State Bank of India's Economic Research Department unveils key insights into India's economic landscape, shedding light on the recent GDP surge and providing projections for the future. The report highlights the unprecedented growth witnessed in India's economy during the third quarter of FY24, defying all estimates and expectations. India's GDP expanded by a remarkable 8.4 per cent during this period, following consecutive quarters of over 8 per cent growth. This surge has been attributed to effective policy frameworks and perspectives, which have surpassed irrational market expectations. The buoyancy in indirect tax collection, marked by a 32 per cent year-on-year growth amounting to Rs 3.9 lakh crore, further underlines the robustness of the economy. As a result, projections for FY24 indicate a GDP growth of 7.6 per cent and Gross Value Added (GVA) growth of 6.9 per cent. The report suggests that the GDP growth for the fourth quarter could be around 5.9 per cent, indicating a potential attainment of 8 per cent growth for the fiscal year. Significant revisions in both annual and quarterly numbers have led to upward adjustments in the GDP figures for FY22 and FY24. This revision has propelled the Year-to-Date (YTD) GDP growth rate above the 8 per cent mark. However, downward revisions in FY23 GDP numbers have implications for the fiscal deficit, necessitating an upward revision to 5.9 per cent of GDP for FY24. Delving into sectoral performances, the report highlights stellar performances in <keyword id="20788019" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manufacturing-and-services" source="keywords">Manufacturing and Services</keyword>, buoyed by significant growth in industry, manufacturing, and construction sectors. However, the agriculture sector witnessed a decline of -0.8 per cent in Q3, attributed to uncontrollable factors. Moreover, the report underscores remarkable milestones achieved in terms of per capita GDP, with current prices crossing the Rs 2 lakh mark in FY24. Decadal Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) stands at 8.9 per cent, with notable increases observed even in constant prices. Notably, post-pandemic recovery has seen a substantial jump in per capita GDP. The report also analyzes investment and savings trends over the past decade, revealing an increase in Gross Capital Formation (GCF) and gross savings. <keyword id="19964112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="noteworthy" source="keywords">Noteworthy</keyword> is the improvement in the <keyword id="20788020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="incremental-capital-output" source="keywords">Incremental Capital Output</keyword> ratio (ICOR), indicating increasing efficiency of capital utilization and laying the groundwork for sustained economic growth. In conclusion, the findings of the SBI report suggest a promising outlook for India's economy, with the potential for sustained growth at 8 per cent in FY25. (ANI)

SBI report deciphers India's GDP surge and economic projections

<ul><li>A global <keyword id="1571551" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Microsoft-outage" source="Orion">Microsoft outage</keyword> has impacted airlines, banks and other services.</li><li>The outage has resulted in disruption of flights from Indigo, SpiceJet and other airlines.</li><li>Here’s everything we know so far about the <keyword id="10387" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microsoft" source="Orion">Microsoft</keyword> outage.</li></ul> In what is emerging as one of the biggest tech outages, Microsoft’s services across the world have been impacted by Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors. This has impacted the London Stock Exchange, halted banking services, and grounded several airlines such as Indigo, SpiceJet, and more. The global outage has affected various Microsoft services such as Azure, Microsoft 365 and more. Amazon Web Services has also recorded some reports of outages. “We're investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services,” Microsoft said in a statement. "Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” said George Kurtz, CEO, Crowdstrike. <div type="twitter" handle="IndiGo6E" handlename="IndiGo6E" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1814200437756641734"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="flyspicejet" handlename="flyspicejet" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1814194223052144749"></div> Air India has issued an advisory on X, saying “Our digital systems have been impacted temporarily due to the current Microsoft outage resulting in delays. We regret the inconvenience caused and request our guests to plan their travel accordingly.” The London Stock Exchange on Friday said that its news services were experiencing a global technical issue which prevented news from being published on its platform. The stock exchange was also experiencing technical problems publishing its spot and forward prices for currencies. A traveller in Hyderabad, flying through Indio posted on X that he had received a hand-written boarding pass. <div type="twitter" handle="akothari" handlename="akothari" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="181420206853155266"></div> Delhi Airport, in a post on X, said that some of the services at the airport were impacted due to the outage. <div type="twitter" handle="DelhiAirport" handlename="DelhiAirport" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1814203660186120407"></div> According to reports, a faulty update from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity provider is forcing affected PCs and servers offline, resulting in a recovery boot loop. “We have widespread reports of BSODs on Windows hosts, occurring on multiple sensor versions,” CrowdStrike said in a support page. "We are aware of issue affecting a subset of customers. We acknowledge the impact this can have on customers, and we are working to restore services for those still experiencing disruptions as quickly as possible,” Mic UK broadcaster Sky News was unable to broadcast, forcing it off the air. American low-cost airline Frontier has cancelled some flights in the US due to the outage. Ryanair, a major European airline reported “third-party” IT issues, which were impacting its flight departures. Microsoft revealed that the outage started around 6 pm ET on Thursday, with some of its customers experiencing issues with Azure services in the Central US. Frontier on Thursday cancelled 147 flights and delayed 212 flights. Berlin airport has warned users of travel delays due to “technical issues.” It’s not just business, several 911 emergency call centres in Alaska have also reported an outage. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/wazirx-suspends-withdrawals-after-230-million-worth-of-cryptos-stolen-in-a-hack/articleshow/111853401.cms">WazirX suspends withdrawals after $230 million worth of cryptos stolen in a hack</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/honor-200-and-honor-200-pro-launched-in-india-starting-at-34999/articleshow/111830855.cms">Honor 200 and Honor 200 Pro launched in India starting at ₹34,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-prime-day-2024-to-begin-on-july-20-in-india-everything-you-need-to-know-about-amazons-biggest-sale/articleshow/111838068.cms">Amazon Prime Day 2024 to begin on July 20 in India – everything you need to know about Amazon’s biggest sale</a>

Microsoft outage – London Stock Exchange, banks and airlines across the world affected

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's stimulus isn't enough to stem slowing GDP growth, the World Bank said this week.</li><li>Neighboring countries will see their growth contract after years of positive spillover effects.</li></ul>China's stimulus measures aren't enough to stem the decline of its economic fortunes, and the troubles facing the world's second-largest economy will also be a drag on its neighbors, a new report from the World Bank finds.The report, released Tuesday, says that China's outsized growth has had positive spillover effects on nearby developing economies for years. Yet, as China's growth slows amid a struggling economy and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-stimulus-fix-economy-xi-jinping-stock-market-2024-10">tepid stimulus efforts</a>, those countries will also see growth contract.The bank forecasts China's economic growth will slow to 4.3% next year, down from a forecasted 4.8% for 2024. Growth in East Asia and the Pacific, meanwhile, will slow to 4.4% in 2025 from about 4.8% this year as a result."For three decades, China's growth has spilled over beneficially to its neighbors, but the size of that impetus is now diminishing," the group said.The authors point in particular to developing economies in East Asia, which benefited from increasing demand from China for imports even as it competed heavily as an exporter of goods. China's neighbors saw positive spillover effects from increased Chinese demand for commodities and services and from the relocation of Chinese production to those countries, the report says.The authors estimate that a 1% increase in China's GDP per-capita growth was associated with a 0.13% increase in GDP per-capita in emerging markets between 2020 and 2023.But now, with China's domestic demand stuck in low gear, its neighbors will feel the impact of China's export strength more drastically."If China's exports grow faster than its imports, as has continued to be the case in manufacturing and overall trade, then the negative impact of increased competition may outweigh the positive impact of demand enhancement in international markets," the report says.It says that a one percent slowdown in China's growth could reduce GDP growth in neighboring developing economies by as much as 0.21%.The report from the World Bank comes shortly after officials in Beijing announced a round of stimulus measures last month, vowing to rescue the economy from a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-housing-market-real-estate-crash-investors-outlook-construction-2024-3?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">struggling property sector</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-weak-domestic-demand-factory-activity-amid-strong-export-2024-7?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;_gl=1*arxr6l*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODMwODIxNC4yMjkuMS4xNzI4MzA4MzIyLjQxLjAuMA..&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">weak consumer demand</a>.The measures, which included lower interest rates and liquidity support, plus <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/chinese-property-stocks-homebuying-restrictions-stimulus-shanghai-gdp-2024-9?_gl=1*1lm342a*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODMwODIxNC4yMjkuMC4xNzI4MzA4MjE0LjYwLjAuMA..&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">relaxed restrictions on homebuying</a>, fueled a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-stock-market-rally-economy-stimulus-liqudity-overwhelm-system-2024-9?_gl=1*1a7ytxc*_ga*MTY3OTgyNjg0MS4xNzIxMDE2MDM2*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyODM5NjQwNS4yMzguMS4xNzI4Mzk2NTM4LjU5LjAuMA..">stock market rally</a> in the country and abroad as investors cheered any indication of future growth after months of downbeat data. However, the World Bank warns that the measures are still undefined, which makes it tough to calculate their impact on China's growth.Aaditya Mattoo, the World Bank's East Asia and Pacific chief economist, said the stimulus measures' fiscal impact has yet to be determined."The question is whether [the stimulus] can actually offset consumer concerns about declining salaries, concerns about declining property incomes and fears about falling ill, growing old, becoming unemployed," Mattoo said in a Tuesday interview with CNBC.Mattoo added that China will need to implement deeper structural reforms to see any long-term growth, but that the rest of the region will still welcome the stimulus efforts since it's so dependent on the country for growth.In the meantime, the rest of the region will "need to strengthen domestic drivers of growth by implementing long-deferred deeper reforms" to see growth independent of China, the report says.China's officials previously said the country is targeting "around 5%" growth for this year. In recent months, economists have increasingly said that goal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-growth-targets-axa-investment-property-sector-industrial-production-2024-9">is out of reach</a>.

China's growth will fizzle next year despite stimulus efforts, and its issues will drag down neighboring economies, World Bank says

<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.

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