Banks' Rs 9.75 Lakh Crore Write-Off Over a Decade: Implications and Recovery Efforts

Over the past decade, banks have written off loans summing up to Rs 9.75 lakh crore. The peak occurred in FY20 with Rs 1.59 lakh crore, followed by a decline. Despite write-offs, borrowers remain liable, and banks continue recovery actions as per Reserve Bank of India's guidelines.

In the past 11 financial years, Indian banks have written off loans totaling a staggering Rs 9.75 lakh crore, according to Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary. The peak write-off year was FY20, with a massive Rs 1.59 lakh crore, though this amount has seen a declining trend, reaching Rs 47,568 crore forecasted for FY25.

These write-offs, conducted as per Reserve Bank of India guidelines, typically occur when full provisioning is completed after four years, ensuring that borrowers' liabilities remain. Consequently, borrowers are still mandated to repay their debts, and banks continue to press for loan recoveries through various mechanisms.

Chaudhary emphasized that loan write-offs do not equate to waivers for borrowers as banks maintain vigorous recovery processes. The pursuit of these repayments is continuous, reflecting banks' ongoing commitment to mitigating losses and ensuring financial discipline.

(With inputs from agencies.)