Source: BL
Context:
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is developing a centralised digital lending platform for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to strengthen their competitiveness against non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs). This initiative is part of a broader strategy following the One State-One RRB policy, which came into effect on May 1, 2025, consolidating 43 RRBs into 28 banks.
Key Highlights:
- Centralised Digital Credit Infrastructure (CDCI):
- Designed for end-to-end automation of credit processing and management.
- Aims to enhance operational efficiency, transparency, and agility in loan delivery.
- Expected rollout: end of September 2025.
- Will support a range of loan products, including housing loans with first-loss default guarantees and MSME-focused products.
- Strategic Objectives:
- Reposition RRBs as competitive alternatives to NBFCs and MFIs.
- Leverage scale efficiencies and cost rationalisation post-consolidation.
- Support innovation in loan product design for diversified portfolios.
- RRB Overview:
- Established in 1975 under an Ordinance and Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
- Aimed at developing rural economies and supplementing the Cooperative Credit Structure.
- Shareholding pattern: Government of India 50%, State Government 15%, Sponsoring Bank 35%.
- Network: 28 RRBs, 22,158 branches across 26 states and 3 Union Territories.
- 92% branches in rural or semi-urban areas, highlighting their role in financial inclusion.
