Karnataka Bank aims to grow at 12 pc in FY22

PTI, Apr 24, 2021, 4:42 PM IST

New Delhi: Karnataka Bank on Saturday said it is targeting to grow its business at 12 percent to over Rs 1.42 lakh crore in the current fiscal year and will gradually increase the share of the retail loan in its portfolio.

In a communication to shareholders, the bank said it strives to see 2021-22 as a year of excellence on the back of its healthy business growth, ”Cost-Lite” liability portfolio, and strengthened fundamentals.

“For the new Financial Year, the Bank is planning to grow its business at a moderate 12 percent to take the total business turnover (i.e. total of Deposits and Advances) to around Rs 1,42,500 crore,” it said.

As a realignment strategy in its advanced portfolio, the private sector lender said it has been eyeing credit exposure of a minimum of 50 percent to retail, 35 percent to mid corporates and not more than 15 percent to large corporates.

The intent is to minimize the concentration on large corporate borrowers and to ensure continued sustainability, it said.

“The bank has been moving towards the said direction in a sustainable manner. Besides, the yield on the retail and mid-corporate advances has been better than the large corporates, and also, the risk is widespread across the portfolio than that of concentration in the case of large corporate exposure,” Mahabaleshwara M S, Managing Director & CEO, Karnataka Bank said.

He said COVID-19 came as a challenge in 2020-21 along with the “M-cap related misleading campaign against the private sector banks, including our bank by a section of media”.

Regarding the Supreme Court’s order on not levying any interest on loans during the March-August period of 2020, the lender said it already made ex-gratia payment of the difference between compound interest and simple interest for these six months to the eligible borrowers in accordance with RBI directive.

In the case of remaining accounts, the penal or compound interest charged on the borrower accounts may have to be refunded and adjusted towards the next installment due within a reasonable time from the date of the Supreme Court order dated March 23, 2021.

“Further, with the vacation of the stay order, NPA marking has also resumed,” it said.

Mahabaleshwara said in spite of the turbulent banking environment and unforeseen hurdles, the bank has been able to sail through 2020-21.

On the way forward, he said the bank is striving hard to see Karnataka Bank among the top three in the peer group by focussing on a healthy, consistent, sustainable, and remunerative business and by continuing the efforts in the recovery process.