PSBs sanction Rs 6.45 lakh crore loan during March-May

New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has said that public sector banks have sanctioned loans worth Rs 6.45 lakh crore during March-May.

Loans worth over Rs 6.45 lakh crore were sanctioned by PSBs during March 1 – May 15 for 54.96 lakh accounts from MSME, Retail, Agriculture & Corporate sectors; A notable increase compared to the Rs 5.95 lakh crore sanctioned as of May 8, the Finance Ministry said.

Public Sector Banks sanctioned over Rs 1.03 lakh crore as emergency credit lines & working capital enhancements in the period March 20 to May 15, which is a substantial increase over the Rs 65,879 crore that had been sanctioned up to May 8.

It may be noted that with the lockdown coming into effect from March 25, state-owned banks had opened an additional line of credit of 10 per cent of the existing fund based on working capital limits, subject to a maximum of Rs 200 crore.

India has been under lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus.  The lockdown has been extended till May 31 with some relaxations.