‘Concerned’ Arun Jaitley tells PSU banks to be proactive on curbing NPAs, but keep credit flowing to projects

Concerned over rising bad loans, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today discussed with PSU bank heads ways to bring down the incidence of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).

“Over the last 2-3 years, on account of slowdown, one area of concern is that the NPA has risen. Therefore what proactive steps to be taken to ensure that NPAs come down has been discussed,” Jaitley said.

He was speaking to reporters after the meeting with PSU bank chiefs here.

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Jaitley also asked banks to take steps to ensure smooth credit flow to projects.

“One of the other area of concern, we have suggested to the banks that proactive steps (be taken) in supporting various projects so that credit offtake in these projects takes up in a big way,” he said.

According to a report by research firm ICRA, PSU banks’ gross NPAs are estimated at 4.4-4.7 per cent as on March 31, 2015, as against 4.4 per cent as on March 31, 2014 and 4.6 per cent at the end of June, 2014.