
RBI Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty has once asked banks to charge a uniform rate of interest on home loans for both new as well as existing borrowers.
Over the past one year, many banks have been lowering rates for new customers even as existing borrowers paid higher rates. Such discrimination was the cause of heartburn for those with outstanding home loans who felt their floating rate loans were not reflecting the prevailing rates in the market.
The deputy governor added that RBI was concerned about the lack of uniformity in rates offered to different customers of the same bank.
Against the backdrop of rising inflation, even interest rate in the system is expected to rise and thus customers may have to pay a higher rate of interest when their loan moves to the floating rate regime.
Very often concerns are raised that adequate money is not available for funding infrastructure projects. But nearly 60% of the money lent for infrastructure financing is not drawn because companies are facing difficulties in achieving a financial closure.
There is a need for other players like pension and insurance companies also to participate in funding infrastructure sector because it would be too riskier for banks alone to participate.