(Bloomberg) -- Loans to India's mid-size businesses grew the most in more than a decade on the back of a surge in cash among lenders boosted by government stimulus.
That comes as a big relief to these cash-starved firms who have been struggling to keep their businesses afloat as the pandemic spread last year.
“Banks are keen to lend given the abundant liquidity,” said Avneesh Sukhija, an analyst at BNP Paribas. That along with emergency credit lines and an overall recovery in the economy is giving banks the confidence to lend to this sector, Sukhija said.
Bank loans to medium size companies in February rose 21% from the prior year, the most since 2010, to 1.3 trillion rupees ($17.8 billion), according to data published by the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday.
Authorities in India have taken several steps to boost credit flow to this vulnerable segment that was badly hit as the coronavirus spread caused thousands of them to shutter shops.
Read more about how India plans to tackle $140 billion in bad loans
Those measures include a government guaranteed emergency credit line of up to 3 trillion rupees to micro, small, and medium size firms that gave banks the confidence to step up lending without worrying about default risks. In addition, the RBI has provided to lenders regulatory exemptions for lending to this sector, liquidity and loan restructuring facilities.
Here's a table from the RBI statement on loans to specific sector by banks in February:
| Sector | February Credit (rupees) | % chg y/y | % chg m/m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium-Sized Businesses | 1.3 trillion | 21 | 2.3 |
| Consumer Durables | 72.4 billion | 12 | -2.1 |
| Housing | 14.4 trillion | 8.5 | 1.6 |
| Vehicle | 2.39 trillion | 8.3 | 1.5 |
| Shadow Banks | 8.96 trillion | 9.2 | 1.2 |
| Real Estate Businesses | 2.32 trillion | 1.6 | -0.5 |
| Agriculture & Allied Activities | 12.7 trillion | 10 | 0.5 |
| Micro and Small Businesses | 3.77 trillion | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Credit Card Outstanding | 1.16 trillion | 4.8 | -0.1 |
| Large-Sized Businesses | 22.8 trillion | -1.5 | 0.1 |
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.
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