(PTI)
The proposed merger of REC with state-owned shadow banking firm Power Finance Corporation has hit a roadblock and is not likely to happen in near future as it would violate Reserve Bank norms on the exposure of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), according to sources.
As per the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) norms, debt exposure of an NBFC in a project cannot exceed 25 per cent. The exposure of Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and REC as a merged entity would exceed the limit of 25 per cent in any existing project as the two firms have been financing power sector projects. After the merger, the new entity will be required to reduce its exposure in a project to 25 per cent which may not be feasible.
“The merger of REC with PFC is unlikely to happen in near future because of RBI norms on exposure of NBFCs. The capacity to finance a project of the merged entity would be halved. As separate entities, they can finance up to 50 per cent in a project which would be reduced to just 25 per cent after the merger,” one of the sources said.
