New Banking Licence

On August 8, the RBI had ordered cancellation of the banking licence of the ailing UCB from September 22. The high court will take up the matter on October 17

The RBI's stance on CIC structures is to be read along with its discomfort with leverage through the pledge of shares.

It also cautioned that more bank licences would be 'credit negative' for existing banks

India has not issued a new bank licence since 2004. There is a persuasive case to be made that India's banking sector needs to be more open; but aspects of the recent decision to award more licences are, none the less, disquieting. Well-informed voices from across the spectrum of opinion have, in the past few days, been raised against the proposal to allow large business conglomerates to set up banks if they have a "successful track record" - judged, presumably, by the licensing authority - and a minimum capital of Rs 500 crore. The head of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, C Rangarajan, has urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start by issuing licences to "non-corporate businesses" first, and to look elsewhere only if there are no such qualified applicants.

Global experience in allowing corporate groups to set up banks reveals that stringent regulation is the best defence against malpractice

The central bank's final guidelines for on-tap licences has upset the plans of many a big name that had drawn up elaborate plans for a bank

Conglomerates can hold only 10% stake; focus on NBFCs not controlled by large groups

After a gap of more than a decade, a new private sector lender will start operations from August 23