May 29, 2006

All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(Excluding RRBs)

Dear Sir,

2. The Committee on Banking Sector Reforms (Chairman: Shri M. Narasimham) had recommended that, as a prudential measure, a general provision of about one per cent of standard assets of banks would be appropriate and should be implemented in a phased manner. Accordingly, in November 2005, the general provisioning requirement for standard advances, with the exception of banks' direct advances to agricultural and SME sectors, was increased from 0.25 to 0.40 per cent of the funded outstanding on a portfolio basis.

3. In order to ensure that asset quality is maintained in the light of high credit growth, it has now been decided to increase the general provisioning requirement on standard advances in specific sectors, i.e., personal loans, loans and advances qualifying as capital market exposures, residential housing loans beyond Rs.20 lakh and commercial real estate loans from the present level of 0.40 per cent to 1.0 per cent.

4. As hitherto, these provisions would be eligible for inclusion in Tier II capital for capital adequacy purposes to the permitted extent.

5. Please acknowledge receipt.

Yours faithfully,

(Prashant Saran)

Chief General Manager-In-Charge

• to increase the general provisioning requirement on standard advances in specific sectors, i.e., personal loans, loans and advances qualifying as capital market exposures, residential housing loans beyond Rs.20 lakh and commercial real estate loans from the present level of 0.40 per cent to 1.0 per cent. As hitherto, these provisions would be eligible for inclusion in Tier II capital for capital adequacy purposes up to the permitted extent.