Payments banks to knock on RBI’s door to seek permission for small-value deposits: Report

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Payments banks (PBs) are expected to knock on the doors of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to permit them to take small-value fixed as well as recurring deposits, since procuring low-cost savings bank (SB) deposits is proving tough amid rising interest rates on term deposits, reported Business Line.

These lender banks are also likely to make a pitch to allow them to lend small-ticket loans to individuals and micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) to enhance their viability, said sources aware of recent deliberations on the road ahead for PBs.

The need for enhancing the scope of activities of these ‘vertically differentiated banks’ comes in the backdrop of five out of the 11 applicants who were given in-principle approval to start a PB in 2015, either not commencing operations or voluntarily giving up their certificate of registration.

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Now, only six PBs — Airtel Payments Bank, Fino Payments Bank, India Post Payments Bank, Jio Payments Bank, NSDL Payments Bank, and Paytm PB — are operational.

Out of these six, the RBI has imposed severe restrictions on Paytm PB due to “persistent non-compliances" and continued material supervisory concerns at the bank. Fino PB has applied to the RBI to convert into a small finance bank.

“Commercial banks’ low-cost CASA (current account, savings account) deposits have come down over the last few quarters as customers prefer investment in fixed deposits, non-convertible debentures, mutual funds, equities, etc., which provide better returns. Given this situation, there is no way PBs can stop the decline in their savings bank (SB) deposits. “So, the only way to stop deposit outflow