Finance Minister Nirmala Sitrharaman announces Rs 30k cr support for NBFCs, HFCs, MFIs

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking financial institutions to provide credit support to the sector amid the coronavirus crisis.

Further, a Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 was also unveiled for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs), and microfinance institutions (MFIs) with low credit rating to help them extend loans to individuals and MSMEs.

Under the Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme, the minister said investments will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investment-grade debt papers of these institutions.

These securities will be fully guaranteed by the government.

She said this will provide liquidity support to these institutions and mutual funds and create confidence in the market.

These institutions are finding it difficult to raise money from the debt markets, Sitharaman added.

Talking about the partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 (PCGS), she said NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs with low credit rating require liquidity for fresh lending to MSMEs and individuals.

The existing PCGS will be extended to cover borrowings such as primary issuance of bonds/commercial papers (liability side of balance sheet) of such entities.

First 20 per cent of loss will be borne by the guarantor, that is the government. She said that AA-rated papers and below, including unrated papers, will be eligible for investment (especially relevant for many MFIs).

These measures are part of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.