These actions on 4 coop banks are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, February 29, 2024:The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by separate orders in February 2024, imposed a monetary penalty on 5 co-operative banks. These actions on the 5 coop banks are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance, as per the press releases issued by the RBI today on February 29, 2024.
RBI has imposed monetary penalty on Shikshak Sahakari Bank Limited, Nagpur; Progressive Co-operative Bank Limited, Mumbai; Solapur District Central Co-operative Bank Limited, Solapur, Maharashtra; Noble Co-operative Bank Limited, Noida, Uttar Pradesh and Adarsh Mahila Co-operative Bank Limited, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
1 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated February 22, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹23.30 lakh (Rupees Twenty-three lakh and Thirty thousand only) on Shikshak Sahakari Bank Limited, Nagpur (the bank) for non-compliance with operational instructions issued by RBI, vide letter dated January 24, 2020, under ‘Supervisory Action Framework for Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
This action is based on deficiency in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Background
The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2021, and examination of the Risk Assessment Report, Inspection Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter alia, that the bank had sanctioned certain fresh loans and advances carrying risk weight of more than 100%, during the financial year 2020-21. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with the RBI directions, as stated therein.
After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, the additional submissions made by it and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank, to the extent of non-compliance with such directions.
2 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated February 21, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.00 lakh (Rupees One lakh only) on Progressive Co-operative Bank Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Exposure Norms and Statutory / Other Restrictions – UCBs’ and ‘Investments by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
This action is based on the deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Background
The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023, and examination of the Inspection and Risk Assessment Report and all correspondence related thereto, revealed, inter alia, that the bank had not adhered to (i) prudential inter-bank gross exposure limit; and (ii) prudential inter-bank counter party limit. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the said directions, as stated therein.
After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank.
3 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated February 22, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹5.00 lakh (Rupees Five lakh only) on Solapur District Central Co-operative Bank Limited, Solapur, Maharashtra (the bank) for contravention of the provisions of section 26A read with section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act) and the directions issued by RBI on the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the BR Act.
This action is based on deficiency in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Background
The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023, and examination of the Inspection Report and all correspondence related thereto, revealed, inter alia, that the bank had not transferred the eligible amount to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEA Fund). Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the statutory directions, as stated therein.
After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of contravention of the aforesaid statutory provisions and non-compliance with the aforesaid directions issued by RBI was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank.
4 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated February 23, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹5.00 lakh (Rupees Five lakh only) on Noble Co-operative Bank Limited, Noida, Uttar Pradesh (the bank) for non-compliance with the specific directions issued by RBI under the Supervisory Action Framework (SAF). This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Background
The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Risk Assessment Report, Inspection Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter-alia, that the bank had sanctioned uncollateralised fresh loans and advances. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for non-compliance with the said directions, as stated therein.
After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and additional submissions made by it, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank.
5 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated February 23, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹5.00 lakh (Rupees Five lakh only) on Adarsh Mahila Co-operative Bank Limited, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and advances to directors, their relatives, and firms/concerns in which they are interested’ and specific directions issued by RBI under the Supervisory Action Framework (SAF). This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.
Background
The statutory inspection of the bank conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2022, and examination of the Risk Assessment Report, Inspection Report and all correspondence related thereto revealed, inter alia, that the bank had (i) sanctioned a loan where a relative of one of the directors of the bank was interested, (ii) offered interest rates higher than those offered by the State Bank of India, on deposits for various tenors; and (iii) sanctioned fresh loans and advances carrying risk weights more than 100%. Consequently, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for failure to comply with the said directions, as stated therein.
After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI came to the conclusion that the charge of non-compliance with the aforesaid RBI directions was substantiated and warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the bank, to the extent of non-compliance with such directions.
