Axis Bank aims Rs 50,000 cr home loan portfolio by FY15 end

Country's third largest private sector lender Axis Bank is targeting a 30% growth in its home loans every year over the next two years to take the portfolio to Rs 50,000 crore by end of FY15, a senior official has said.

"We are targeting a growth of 30% every year in home loans and conceptually we should reach the Rs 50,000 crore mark for the portfolio," the bank's head for consumer lending and payments Jairam Sridharan told PTI.

He said the total home loan portfolio stands at Rs 30,000 crore, occupying a major part of the retail lending assets, which stood at Rs 43,000 crore.

The bank's retail assets had grown 43% in the quarter ended December 2012.

Sridharan conceded that troubles in the economy have resulted in a drop in home loan demand which is visible through a dip in the growth rates, but said the bank is confident of maintaining its guidance of 30% growth.

The bank is also targeting to increase the retail assets component in the total portfolio to 30% from the present 27% and will be achieving the number soon, Sridharan said.

"We have some more headroom for achieving the targeted level and will definitely do so," he added.

The bank is counting on its geographical reach and designing newer products to make sure it meets the desired target, he said, pointing out to a recently launched special home loan for the self-employed.

The home loans segment has traditionally been dominated by dedicated housing finance companies, but the country's largest lender State Bank of India has emerged as the biggest player over the last two years.