Implement waiver of interest on loans, RBI tells lending companies

The Reserve Bank on Tuesday asked all lending institutions, including non-banking financial companies, to implement the waiver of interest on interest for loans up to Rs 2 crore for the six months moratorium period beginning March 1, 2020.

On October 23, the government had announced the scheme for grant of ex-gratia payment of difference between compound interest and simple interest for six months to borrowers in specified loan accounts.

The scheme mandates ex-gratia payment to certain categories of borrowers by way of crediting the difference between simple interest and compound interest for the period between March 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020, by respective lending institutions.

The government had asked the lending institutions to complete the exercise of crediting the amount in the accounts of borrowers by November 5.

"All lending institutions are advised to be guided by the provisions of the Scheme and take necessary action within the stipulated timeline," the RBI said in a notification.

The finance ministry had issued the operational guidelines in the backdrop of the Supreme Court's direction to implement the interest waiver scheme.

The apex court on October 14, directed the Centre to implement "as soon as possible" interest waiver on loans of up to Rs 2 crore under the RBI moratorium scheme in view of the Covid-19 pandemic saying the common man's Diwali is in the government's hands.

Housing loans, education loans, credit card dues, auto loans, MSME loans, consumer durable loans and consumption loans are covered under the scheme.

As per the scheme, the lending institutions shall credit the difference between compound interest and simple interest with regard to the eligible borrowers in respective accounts for the said period irrespective of whether the borrower fully or partially availed the moratorium on repayment of loan announced by the RBI on March 27, 2020.

The scheme is also applicable on those who have not availed the moratorium scheme and continued with the repayment of loans.

The lending institutions after crediting the amount will claim the reimbursement from the central government.

The RBI had announced a moratorium on repayment of debt for six months beginning March 1, 2020 to help businesses and individuals tide over the financial problems on account of disruption in normal business activities.