Question : BANK BALANCE SHEET

(a) whether the Government has asked the public sector banks to submit their balance sheets to their audit committees at least two days before their board meets to finalise their results;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether both nationalised and private sector banks have released their balance sheet for the third quarter ending December, 2011;

(d) the amount of profit shown by these banks for the period ending September, 2011 and also the profit earned by them in the last three years, bank-wise alongwith the increase in percentage terms, if any;

(e) whether the scheduled commercial banks have increased the rate of interest on home loans recently; and

(f) if so, the details thereof, bank-wise and the steps taken / proposed to be taken by the Government to reduce the interest rate on housing loans?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)

(a) & (b): To enable the Audit Committees of public sector banks (ACB) to deliberate the account and auditor`s report in greater details, Government has asked all public sector banks to place their annual financial results before the ACB at least 2 days before the annual meeting of the Board for adoption of account.

(c): All the banks have submitted returns to Department of Supervision, Reserve Bank of India including abridged balance sheet for the third quarter ending December 2011.

(d); The bank-wise details of Profit after tax of public sector and private sector banks during the period ended March 2009, 2010, 2011 and September, 2011 and the growth in percentage is at Annex.

(e) & (f): The banks may determine their actual lending rates on loans and advances with reference to the Base Rate. All categories of loans are priced only with reference to the Base Rate, which are announced by banks after seeking approval from their respective Boards. Since the Base Rate will be the minimum rate for ail loans, banks are not permitted to resort to any lending below the Base Rate.