An Analysis of Non-Performing Assets & Loans by the Public Sector Banks in the Pre-COVID Era
For the Indian banks, reeling under the weight of mounting Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), COVID came as a blessing in disguise. Reserve Bank of India had relaxed the NPA norms until May end, which the Indian Banks’ Association is now seeking an extension of it until August. What has been in the news regularly in pre-COVID era, information about NPAs suddenly vanished.
There are many who believe that the impact of this pandemic on the economy, coupled with some of the schemes launched by the government in guise of an economic stimulus package, will aggravate the situation and NPA levels could sharply rise, even double, in the post-COVID era.
It is thus important to have a clear understanding about what the NPA situation was in the pre-COVID times, which sectors contributed the most and what could have caused the NPAs to rise at alarming levels. This booklet is an attempt to put together that.