**Summary:**
This Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular (RBI/2019-20/39 FIDD.CO.Plan.BC.704/09.01/2019-20) dated August 13, 2019, addresses priority sector lending (PSL) by scheduled commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks) through Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) for on-lending.
The circular allows bank credit to registered NBFCs (excluding Micro Finance Institutions or MFIs) for on-lending to be classified as PSL under specific categories, subject to the following conditions:
* **Agriculture:** On-lending by NBFCs for the term lending component under agriculture is permitted up to ₹10 lakh per borrower.
* **Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs):** On-lending by NBFCs is allowed up to ₹20 lakh per borrower.
* **Housing:** The limit for on-lending by Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) is enhanced from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh per borrower, as per para 10.5 of the Master Direction on Priority Sector Lending.
Banks can classify only fresh loans sanctioned by NBFCs from bank borrowings on or after the date of this circular under PSL. Loans given by HFCs under existing on-lending guidelines will continue to be classified under PSL by banks.
Bank credit to NBFCs for on-lending is capped at five percent of individual banks' total PSL on an ongoing basis. These instructions were valid up to March 31, 2020, and were subject to review thereafter. Loans disbursed under the on-lending model will continue to be classified under PSL until repayment or maturity.
Existing guidelines on bank loans to MFIs for on-lending, as detailed in para 19 of Master Directions on Priority Sector Lending, remain applicable for NBFC-MFIs.
The guidelines came into effect on August 13, 2019.
For further information, contact the Financial Inclusion and Development Department, Central Office, RBI at Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, P.Box No. 10014, Mumbai – 400 001. Phone: 91-22-22601000, 22621011/22610948/22610943. Email: cgmincfidd@rbi.org.in. The RBI cautions the public against responding to unsolicited communications requesting personal banking information.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India: The central bank of India, the issuer of the notification.
NBFCs: Non-Banking Financial Companies, entities to which banks can lend for onlending under priority sector lending.
MFIs: Micro Finance Institutions, a type of NBFC. The existing onlending guidelines will continue to be applicable for NBFC MFIs
Priority Sector Lending: A scheme by Reserve Bank of India which mandates a certain portion of bank lending to be directed towards specific sectors of the economy.
Regional Rural Banks: Scheduled Commercial Banks excluding Regional Rural Banks
Small Finance Banks: Scheduled Commercial Banks excluding Small Finance Banks
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Location of Central Office Building of Reserve Bank of India.
Gautam Prasad Borah: Chief General Manager-In-Charge, Financial Inclusion and Development Department, Reserve Bank of India.
भारतीय �रज़व र् ब�क
---------------------------------------------------- RESERVEBANKOFINDIA ---------------------------------------------------
www.rbi.org.in
RBI/2019-20/39
FIDD.CO.Plan.BC.7/04.09.01/2019-20 August 13, 2019
The Chairman/ Managing Director & CEOs
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks)
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Priority Sector Lending – Lending by banks to NBFCs for On-Lending
In order to boost credit to the needy segment of borrowers, it has been decided that
bank credit to registered NBFCs (other than MFIs) for on-lending will be eligible for
classification as priority sector under respective categories subject to the following
conditions:
(i) Agriculture: On-lending by NBFCs for ‘Term lending’ component under
Agriculture will be allowed up to ₹10 lakh per borrower.
(ii) Micro & Small enterprises: On-lending by NBFC will be allowed up to ₹20 lakh
per borrower.
(iii) Housing: Enhancement of the existing limits for on-lending by HFCs vide para
10.5 of our Master Direction on Priority Sector lending, from ₹10 lakh per
borrower to ₹20 lakh per borrower.
2. Under the above on-lending model, banks can classify only the fresh loans
sanctioned by NBFCs out of bank borrowings, on or after the date of issue of this
circular. However, loans given by HFCs under the existing on-lending guidelines will
continue to be classified under priority sector by banks.
3. Bank credit to NBFCs for On-Lending will be allowed upto a limit of five percent of
individual bank’s total priority sector lending on an ongoing basis. Further, the above
instructions will be valid for the current financial year upto March 31, 2020 and will be
िव�ीय समावेशनऔर िवकास िवभाग,क��ीय कायार्लय, 10व� मंिज़ल,क��ीय कायार्लय िब�ल्डगं ,शहीद भगत �संह माग,र्पो.बा.सं.10014,मुंबई 400 001
टेलीफोन:Tel No.: +912222601000/ फैक्स: +91-22-22621011/22610948/22610943 ईमेल: cgmincfidd@rbi.org.in
Financial Inclusion and Development Department, Central Office,10th Floor, Central Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, P.Box No.10014, Mumbai 400 001
�हदं ी आसान ह,ै इसका �योग बढ़ाइए
चते ावनी : मेल�रज़व र्बक� �ारा-डाक, एसएमएस या फोन कॉल के ज�रए �कसी क� भी व्य ि�गत जानकारी जसै ेबक� के खात ेका ब्य ौरा, पासवड र्आ�द नह� मागं ी जाती ह।ै यह धन रखने या दने े का �स् ताव भी नह�
करता ह।ै ऐसे �स् ताव� का �कसी भी तरीके से जवाब मत दीिजए।
Caution: RBI never sends mails, SMSs or makes calls asking for personal information like bank account details,
passwords, etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers.Priority Sector Lending – Lending by banks through NBFCs for On-Lending
reviewed thereafter. However, loans disbursed under the on-lending model will
continue to be classified under Priority Sector till the date of repayment/maturity.
4. The existing guidelines on bank loans to MFIs for on-lending as detailed in para 19
of Master Directions on Priority Sector Lending will continue to be applicable for NBFC-
MFIs.
5. The guidelines shall come into effect from the date of the issuance of this Circular.
Yours faithfully,
(Gautam Prasad Borah)
Chief General Manager-In-Charge
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