indian banks association

In its pursuit to unearth black money, the Income Tax Department will probe certain banks and their officials suspected to be helping customers hide illicit funds through multiple accounts. We have found instances where banks are running multiple accounts of certain customers for the purpose of hiding black money, a senior official of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said, although refusing to name the banks. Full Article

The draft guidelines on how foreign banks can convert themselves into wholly owned subsidiaries of their parents, have been delayed, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) awaiting clarity from tax authorities. The guidelines were to be have been relea Full Article

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to enable existing home loan borrowers to benefit from lower rates along with new customers, a senior official of the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) told Reuters. In a letter to the IBA, the central bank has asked banks to reconsider their decision after lenders told the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last year that reducing rates on all home loans is unviable for them. Full Article

Banks may soon have to cap the charges on basic services such as issuing a draft, remittances or for stop-payment instructions. Faced with a rising number of customer complaints on excessive charges, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to come up with guidelines on what the reasonable charges should be. Full Article

Relaxation in the norms relating to infrastructure lending and 70 per cent loan loss coverage ratio are likely to top the agenda when bankers meet Reserve Bank of India on January 14, ahead of the quarterly policy review. "Banks will press their demand to relax the norms on infrastructure lending. They may also ask for some easing in the guidelines announced for banks to augment their loan loss coverage ratio to 70 per cent," Indian Banks' Association chief executive, K .. Full Article

Banks are making a strong pitch to the government for permission to issue tax-free bonds to fund infrastructure projects. Bankers, who are expected to again take up the issue with the finance ministry next week, are arguing that the bonds will help them raise long-term resources and reduce dependence on retail fixed deposits, whose maturity is getting shorter. In recent months, banks have been saddled with deposits in the one-year maturity bucket, while infrastructure lo.. Full Article

Ministry of Human Resource Development has proposed to introduce a scheme for full interest subsidy during the period of moratorium on loans taken by students belonging to economically weaker sections from the banks under the Education Loan Scheme of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) for pursuing any of the approved courses of studies in technical and professional streams from recognised institutions in India. Full Article

Banks’ association says the process needs a huge effort. Banks may seek time beyond the March 2011 deadline to shift to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in view of the mammoth effort required for the switover, according to industry sources.The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) today said its management committee last week discussed the implications of the convergence. Full Article