Public sector banks (PSBs) have sanctioned loans worth Rs 5.95 lakh crore in the last two months to various sectors, including MSME, agriculture and corporate, hit hard by COVID-19-induced nationwide lockdown. Non-bank finance companies (NBFCs) have received Rs 1.18 lakh crore from these banks during the period between March 1 and May 8. “PSBs sanctioned loans worth Rs 5.95 lakh crore for more than 46.74 lakh accounts from the MSME, Retail, Agriculture & Corporate sectors between March 1 and May 8, 2020. Total financing worth Rs 1.18 lakh crore was provided to NBFCs,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet on Tuesday. With the lockdown coming into effect from March 25, state-owned banks 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.

(Economic Times)