The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to automate the process of filing regulatory reports appears to have opened a door of opportunities for technology firms. Industry players expect banks to invest over Rs 500 crore over the next one year to migrate to the new system of automated data flow. Mid-sized software companies are also sensing an opportunity to cross-sell their other banking software products along with the automated data flow solution.
For instance, iCreate Software, a Bangalore-based information technology firm, has already secured contracts from HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank and Dhanlaxmi Bank within three months of launching their automated data flow solution Biz$core ADF. IndusInd Bank has decided to use iCreate’s enterprise business intelligence solution along with the automated data flow software. While the latter will help the bank in meeting compliance needs, the business intelligence solution will aid in managing information effectively for business requirements.
Vivek Subramanyam, chief executive officer of iCreate, stressed the need for a technology solution to remove manual intervention in regulatory reporting. “Automated reporting increases the level of confidence on data, and decision-making becomes more accurate,” he told Business Standard. “There are 150 to 250 types of regulatory reports that banks have submit to RBI at periodic intervals. We are completely focussed on this opportunity and are engaging with the entire banking fraternity to position our Biz$core ADF solution.”
He said the company’s automated data flow solution cost “single to early double digits” crore of rupees.
In August, Ramco Systems, a software firm in Chennai, launched an automated data flow solution to help banks adhere to RBI guidelines on submission of regulatory reports without manual intervention. “Our ADF solution,” says Kamesh Ramamoorthy, chief operating officer of the Chennai-bases software firm, “can be deployed on any database management system. It can go live within weeks.”
However, some banks are likely to rely on their in-house teams to develop this software instead of outsourcing it to a technology firm. According to a senior official of a Mumbai-based private sector bank, if the in-house technology team of a bank is strong, then developing the software makes more sense as the lender can customise the solution according to its requirements. Another option is that the bank will build the software on its own, but will seek assistance of a technology firm for integrating it with the main system.
But most banks are expected to use third-party software as they have to comply with RBI’s guidelines within a specified time period. “It is not their core operations,” says an industry expert. “Hence, they will choose products of software companies to meet the guidelines.”
The new guidelines on automated regulatory report filing were released after the central bank was alarmed by the trend of eroding profitability of state-run banks soon after the retirement of the chairman. The move is aimed at minimising the scope of errors and manipulation in reports that are submitted to RBI at periodic intervals by banks.
