Ans: Yes. The banks will have to maintain amount of specified securities for the amount received in TLTRO in its HTM book at all times till maturity of TLTRO.

Ans: Under TLTRO scheme, banks will have to invest the amount borrowed under TLTROs in fresh acquisition of securities (i.e., over and above their outstanding statement in specified securities it was holding as on March 26, 2020) from primary/secondary market. However, participation in TLTRO scheme will not impinge on the existing investment of the bank and the bank may continue to operate their AFS/HFT portfolio, as hitherto, in terms of extant regulatory/internal guidelines.

Ans: There is no maturity restriction on the specified securities to be acquired under TLTRO scheme. However, the outstanding amount of specified securities in bank’s HTM portfolio should not fall below the level of amount availed under TLTRO scheme.

Ans: The specified securities acquired under TLTRO scheme will be allowed to remain in HTM portfolio till their maturity.

Ans: The specified securities acquired under TLTRO scheme will be classified in HTM category. However, if a bank decides to classify such securities under AFS/HFT category at the time of acquisition, it will not be allowed to later shift such securities to HTM category and it should maintain sufficient records to demonstrate and separately identify securities purchased under TLTRO scheme within the AFS/HFT portfolio. Further, all regulations applicable to securities classified under AFS/HFT including those on valuation, will be applicable on such specified securities.

Ans: The banks have already been given sufficient time to deploy funds availed under TLTRO scheme. It has now been decided to allow up to 30 working days for deployment in specified securities for those banks who have availed funds under the first tranche of TLTRO conducted on March 27, 2020. However, if a bank fails to deploy funds within the specified time frame, the interest rate on un-deployed funds will increase to prevailing policy repo rate plus 200 bps for the number of days such funds remain un-deployed. This incremental interest will have to be paid along with regular interest at the time of maturity.

Ans: The deployment of funds availed under TLTRO in primary market cannot exceed fifty percent of the amount availed. Apart from the above stipulation, the limits are fungible between primary and secondary market deployment.

Ans: Based on the feedback received from banks and taking into account the disruptions caused by COVID-19, it has been decided to extend the time available for deployment of funds under the TLTRO 2.0 scheme from 30 working days to 45 working days from the date of the operation. Funds that are not deployed within this extended time frame will be charged interest at the prevailing policy repo rate plus 200 bps for the number of days such funds remain un-deployed. The incremental interest liability will have to be paid along with regular interest at the time of maturity.

Ans: In order to provide banks flexibility in investment, this condition will not be applicable for funds availed under TLTRO 2.0.

Ans: This condition applies only to the fourth TLTRO conducted on April 17, 2020. It does not apply to the TLTROs conducted before April 17, 2020. It also does not apply to TLTRO 2.0.

Ans: In terms of the press release 2237/2019-2020 dated April 17, 2020 notifying the TLTRO 2.0 scheme, at least 50 per cent of the total funds availed under the scheme has to be deployed in specified securities issued by small NBFCs of asset size of ₹ 500 crores and below, mid-sized NBFCs of asset size between ₹ 500 crores and ₹ 5000 crores and MFIs. The objective is to ease any liquidity stress and/or impediments to market access that these small and mid-sized entities might be facing. In order to incentivise banks’ investment in the specified securities of these entities, it has been decided that a bank can exclude the face value of such securities kept in the HTM category from computation of adjusted non-food bank credit (ANBC) for the purpose of determining priority sector targets/sub-targets. This exemption is only applicable to the funds availed under TLTRO 2.0.

Ans: The funds availed under TLTRO 2.0 are to be deployed in investment grade bonds, commercial paper (CPs) and non-convertible debentures (NCDs) of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and MFIs in the manner outlined in the press release dated April 17, 2020.

Ans: Banks can submit their request for exercising the repayment option till October 28, 2020. On repayment of funds availed under TLTRO/ TLTRO 2.0, the associated securities shall be shifted out of the HTM category. The shifting of the TLTRO/ TLTRO 2.0 investments out of HTM shall be in addition to the shifting of investments permitted at the beginning of the accounting year and subject to adherence to the guidelines contained in the Master Circular – Prudential Norms for Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio by Banks dated July 1, 2015. These investments under TLTRO/ TLTRO 2.0 against which funds are being repaid will not be exempted from reckoning under the large exposure framework (LEF) and computation of adjusted non-food bank credit (ANBC) for the purpose of determining priority sector targets/sub-targets.

Ans: Banks can use either of the alternatives. However, the request of the bank will be subject to availability of funds as on date of application i.e., funds cannot be guaranteed in case the total amount of ₹1,00,000 crore is already availed.

Ans: There is no restriction with respect to primary/ secondary market investments in specified securities under the on Tap TLTRO scheme.