RBI preparing framework to ease flow of credit to MSMEs

NEW DELHI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is preparing a framework to provide accreditation to credit counsellors for facilitating easy flow of credit to the MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), its Deputy Governor S S Mundra (pictured) said here on Tuesday.

“For bridging the information asymmetry on the MSME borrowers side, RBI is initiating a process for putting in place a framework for accreditation of credit counsellors who are expected to serve as facilitators and enablers for micro and small entrepreneurs,” Mundra said at the 2nd national conference on MSME funding organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

“Since MSMEs are typically enterprises with little credit histories and with inadequate expertise in preparing financial statements, credit counsellors will assist the borrowers in preparing their project reports and also help banks make better informed credit decisions,” he added. Mundra said that RBI is also in the process of issuing final guidelines on P2P (peer to peer) lending in the MSME sector.

“New players have entered the MSME lending landscape in form of P2P companies. RBI has been mindful of a need to regulate these entities without stifling their ability to innovate and is currently in the process of issuing final guidelines on P2P lending,” he said.

“These entities use an online platform to match lenders with borrowers to provide unsecured loans and mostly for receivables financing,” he said.

Mundra said that P2P lending has great potential as an alternative form of low-cost finance as it can reach to the needy where formal sources are unable to reach or unwilling to lend.