November 18: Banks have demanded an increase in the Credit Deposit (CD) ratio to address the liquidity crunch in the banking sector. The current provision requires the CD ratio to be 90 percent while the banks have demanded the CD ratio to be increased to 92 percent.

A team of Nepal Bankers' Association met with Nepal Rastra Bank’s Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari and urged the central bank to address the issue in the first quarterly review of the monetary policy.

The central bank had implemented the CD ratio of 90 percent after scrapping the CCD ratio of 85 percent through the monetary policy. "We have demanded the CD ratio to be raised to 92 percent,” said Santosh Koirala, a member of the bankers’ association and CEO of Machhapuchhre Bank.

At present, the CD ratio of banks is maintained around 90 percent. The banks have made such a demand since they have been unable to extend any new loans.  Koirala said that banks have demanded to increase the CD ratio as an alternative since it is less likely that new deposits will be pouring in.

He said the situation is likely to be normal by the next fiscal year when the CD ratio can again be maintained at 90 percent through the new monetary policy. Banking sector is reeling through a liquidity crunch since last July due to high credit flow and insufficient deposit collection. 

On the other hand, the government has not been able to spend the budget in the current fiscal year. The biggest source of bank deposits is government expenditure. As a result, there is a shortage of deposits in the banking sector. In addition, the remittance inflow has also declined affecting deposit collection.

The bankers’ association has also demanded flexibility on liquidity ratio and Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR). The association has also urged the central bank to review the differences in interest rate, service fee and base rate provisions. 

Banks have also demanded to allow them to issue SME bonds, convertible bonds and permanent bonds with flexibility in the limits of investment in designated areas. Similarly, they have demanded to review interest rate on refinancing loans, and provisions to deposit in Indian bank in a way that would earn interest.

They have also sought to establish a fintech company as a subsidiary to promote digital banking.