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Package to revive housing sector tomorrow: IBA Chief

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Cheaper loans, full waiver of processing charges and concessions on margin money requirement may find place in a package that PSU banks will put together tomorrow to invigorate demand in the housing sector.

"We discussed among ourselves what sort of relief can be given to the housing and the SME sectors. What could be the modalities for this," Indian Banks' Association (IBA) Chairman T S Narayanasami told reporters here.

"We are still working on this. I think some package will be formalised by tomorrow," he said.

The package would not be confined to interest rate only, he said, adding that there have to be other incentives apart from rate reduction.

 

The scheme would also include steps to give small and medium enterprises sector easier access to credit.

Incentives could be in the form of cut in margin requirement and processing fee, Narayanasami said.

When asked whether interest rates have been agreed upon, he said no decision has been taken on rates. The whole exercise is to make housing loan more affordable, he added.

He, however, ruled out any interest subsidy from the government for the package for home loans up to Rs 20 lakh.

The package for home loans below Rs 20 lakh was mentioned in the government's estimated Rs 35,000 crore fiscal stimulus package announced on Sunday.

The government had then said that public sector banks would soon announce a package for borrowers of home loans in the range of up to Rs 5 lakh and Rs 5 lakhs to Rs 20 lakh. It had further said that additional measures would be taken as necessary to promote and accelerated growth trajectory in the housing sector.

"I don't think any subvention will be involved or will be necessary for banks," he said.

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First Published: Dec 11 2008 | 6:44 PM IST

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