FINANCIAL AWARENESS NOVEMBER 2019
SREI-UBI jointly offers loans under co-lending programme
• Srei Equipment Finance Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance, has partnered with the United Bank of India (UBI) to offer loans to the MSME sector and retail customers under a co-lending arrangement. • The NBFC and the bank jointly organised Loan Utsavs across 20 cities. These loan melas were held many cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Ranchi, Patna, Vijaywada, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Bhopal.
Dhanlaxmi Bank announces resignation of MD & CEO
• Ms T.Latha has submitted her resignation as MD & CEO and Director of Dhanlaxmi Bank, Vide her letter dated October 30, 2019 due to personal reasons. The same has been accepted by the Board w.e.f close of business hours on October 31, 2019, at its meeting held on October 31, 2019. The same has been intimated to RBI.
SBI Card and Vistara Join Hands to Launch Co-branded Credit Cards
• SBI Card and Vistara have joined hands to launch a one-of-its-kind premium credit card for travel savvy urban Indians. Launched in two variants, Club Vistara SBI Card PRIME and Club Vistara SBI Card, the new card has been designed to offer a rewarding travel experience to cardholders, through unique benefits and unmatched value proposition, on domestic and international travel spends.
AIIB to invest 100 million USD in solar and wind projects in India
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which is headquartered at Beijing expects an investment of 100 million USD in India in a year. The foreign investment is to enter India through the bank in Wind and solar projects.AIIB has so far invested 2.9 billion USD. It amounts to 30% of the total investment. India is the largest borrower of AIIB.
India and ADB sign 91 million USD to improve water resources in Karnataka
• On November 18, 2019, India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a 91 million USD agreement to improve water security of Karnataka. The loan will help to modernize the Vijayanagara Channel irrigation systems and also to increase the efficiency of Krishna river basin.
IndiaFirst Life Insurance partners with Spice Money for ‘Insurance Khata’ product
• IndiaFirst Life Insurance has entered into a strategic & technical partnership with Spice Money, a tech-led financial services provider, for distribution / marketing of ‘insurance khata’ through the latter’s platform, which has nearly 3 lakh customers.Insurance Khata is targeted at the informal/agriculture sector.
European Investment Bank to stop Fossil Fuel Funding by 2021
• The European Investment Bank is to stop funding oil and coal projects at the end of 2021. Since 2013, the European Union through the bank has funded 13.4 billion Euros for fossil fuel projects. In 2018, it was around 2 billion Euros. The Union has been reducing its funding to fossil fuel projects and is stopping by 2021.
RBI increases household income limits for borrowers of NBFCs and MFIs
• Reserve Bank of India increased the household income limits for borrowers of Non- Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs) from 1 lakh to 1.25 lakh rupees.
• Aim: • The move is aimed at strengthening credit to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid in rural areas. The limit is increased from 1.6 lakh for urban or semi-urban areas to 2 lakh rupees. The limit has been increased after taking into consideration the important role played by microfinance institutions in delivering credit to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid and to enable them to play their assigned role in a growing economy.
COCO by DHFL General Insurance launches customisable health insurance plan
• COCO by DHFL General Insurance announced the launch of its First Retail Health Indemnity Insurance Product COCOCure. COCOCure is a comprehensive, new-age health insurance product that is designed to make health insurance easy to understand and convenient to purchase.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launches Instant Digital Savings and Instant Fixed Deposit Account
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank in an effort to offer distinctive banking and digital services to its customers launched Digital Savings Account along with fixed deposit and privilege savings account.
Tencent buys 10% of Policybazaar, enters India insurance market
• Tencent Holdings Ltd. has acquired a minority stake in Policybazaar.com valuing the Indian online insurance aggregator at $1.5 billion, according to a person familiar with the deal, as it tries to get a foothold in the country’s burgeoning insurance sector. • The Chinese technology giant bought 10% of Policybazaar, half of Tiger Global Management LLC’s stake in the company, the person said, asking not be identified as the matter was not public. The $150 million deal was signed earlier this week, the person added.
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launches ‘Farmitra’ app
• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, the private general insurer launched industry’s first mobile app ‘Farmitra’ catering to the specific needs of farmers. Through this app, farmers will not only get insurance solutions, but also a range of other information and advisories which will cater to their day to day farming needs. • The Company, through this app intends to help farmers address their worries and provide them relevant information which they can use in optimizing their farming practices. This will create value for farmers, thereby increasing engagement with them.
Exim Bank gives $30 million line of credit to Ghana
• Export-Import (Exim) Bank provided a $30 million line of credit to Ghana for the potable water projects in the country.Exim Bank entered into an agreement with Ghana for a line of credit (LoC) of $30 million (about Rs 210 crore) for financing rehabilitation and up-gradation of potable water system in Yendi, Ghana.
• Under the arrangement financing of export of eligible goods, works and services from India would be allowed subject to their being available for shipping under the Foreign Trade Policy of India and whose purchase may be agreed to be financed by the Exim Bank.
MSTC ties up with Allahabad Bank to develop e-auction platform
• MSTC Ltd has signed an agreement with Allahabad Bank for the development of a dedicated e-Auction platform directly linked with the Indian Banking Association’s portal (https://ibapi.net) for sale of non-performing assets (NPAs) through the SARFAESI (Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest) Act.
ADB to provide USD 451 mn for the CKIC corridor
• The Asian Development Bank is to provide a $451 million loan to strengthen the power connectivity between southern and northern parts of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in Tamil Nadu. • CKIC Project: • The total estimated cost of the project is $653.5 million, of which the government will provide $202.5 million. The project has been estimated to be the completed date of the project is the end of 2024.
Aditya Birla Finance becomes first company to list commercial papers on stock exchanges
• Aditya Birla Finance Ltd (ABFL), the Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) arm of Aditya Birla Capital, has now become the first company to list its commercial papers (CPs) on stock exchanges. • The move comes after stock exchanges- the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock Exchange), came out with a framework for listing of commercial papers (CPs), in a bid to broaden investors’ participation in such securities.
From January, banks cannot charge you for online NEFT transactions
• From January 2020, banks can no longer charge savings bank account holders for online transactions in the NEFT system. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has now mandated banks to do this through a press release. In its press release, RBI stated that it is doing this to promote digital payments.
HDFC AMC, IGL added to MSCI India index, Yes Bank removed
• MSCI, the world’s biggest index compiler, has added eight Indian stocks including HDFC Asset Management or HDFC AMC, Info Edge (India) and Indraprastha Gas Ltd to its India Index, while removing Vodafone Idea, Yes Bank and four others that have seen significant market capitalisation erosion this year.
PNB Housing Finance Raises Rs 2,500 Crore By Issuing Bonds To LIC
• Life Insurance Corporation of India has invested Rs 2,500 crore in PNB Housing Finance Ltd. by subscribing to the mortgage lender’s secured redeemable non- convertible debentures. This issuance is on private placement basis with a door-to-door tenure of 10 years. The proceeds will be utilised by the company for its normal course of business operations.
Muthoot Finance to acquire IDBI Mutual Fund for ₹215 crore
• Gold loan financier Muthoot Finance has agreed to acquire IDBI Mutual Fund to foray into the mutual fund segment. As per the deal, it will acquire 100% shareholding in IDBI Asset Management for ₹215 crore. The mutual fund firm has assets worth over ₹5,300 crore under its management.
Ashok Leyland, ICICI Bank ink MoU for vehicle financing
• Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has entered into a two- year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICICI Bank to offer customised financial solutions to customers across India with a focus on semi-urban and rural geographies. • With this MoU, ICICI Bank will be a preferred financier for providing finance to customers buying ALLAshok Leyland vehicles. The bank will work in close coordination with the authorised dealers of Ashok Leyland to provide financial solutions to the customers, said the company in a statement.
ADB Grants $451 Million Loan to Boost Power Transmission Capacity in Tamil Nadu
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a $451 million (~₹31.77 billion) loan to the state of Tamil Nadu for a project that will enable better power transfer between the southern part of the Chennai-Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) and the northern regions where there is higher power demand.
ADB approves $300 million for power transmission expansion in Bangladesh
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a 300 million dollar loan for a project to expand power transmission lines in Greater Dhaka and the western zone of Bangladesh. • The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has 200 million dollars in co-financing to fund transmission lines, substations, and an enterprise resource planning system. The assistance also comprises a 750,000 dollar grant from China’s Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund.
Wholesale inflation eases to 0.16 per cent in October
• Wholesale prices based inflation eased further to 0.16 per cent in October, as against 0.33 per cent in September. Government data showed subdued prices of non-food articles and fall in prices of manufactured items.
Irdai calls for wellness features in health insurance plans
• In order to popularise wellness and preventive features in health insurance, the insurance regulator has issued draft guidelines suggesting insurers offer outpatient consultations or treatments, health check-up diagnostics and redeemable vouchers to obtain protein supplements.
SBI Life, ICICI Pru Life to enter MSCI India index
• Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) recently re-balanced its India index under its semi-annual review. Of the eight additions it did to the index, two belong to the insurance sector – SBI Life and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, possibly underlining brighter prospects in the segment.
World Bank to fund USD 300 million to the West Bengal
• World Bank announced that it is to fund $300 million to the West Bengal State government. The announcement was made by the West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra. The fund will be used for the development of logistics infrastructure within the city metropolitan area. • World Bank submitted a master plan to the state on logistics infrastructure in and around the Kolkata metropolitan area. It has also expressed its interest in a review of industrial parks, logistics hubs, and SEZs. It aims to improve logistics competitiveness, employment generation, and ease of doing business.
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