Keeping its option of a public offer open, State Bank of India (SBI) plans to mop up Rs 3,000-4,000 crore through bonds this fiscal to meet business needs."I am not ruling out any public offer, but we will preferably go for subordinated debt (tier-II capital)," A K Purwar, chairman of SBI, said today.He said the bank may raise Rs 3,000-4,000 crore in the current fiscal through subordinated debt and may also tap the international markets.The borrowing plan comes in the wake of the surge in credit from industry and meeting its own business requirements.SBI logged 26% growth in credit in the third quarter, and is expecting an overall growth of 20% in this fiscal.The fund-raising by SBI also comes in the background of the stringent Basle-II norms to be effective from 2006-07. "We will abide by the Basle-II norms by 2007 as mandated by RBI," Purwar said.On the interest rate scenario, Purwar said: "It will be stable in the short term if the international rates and inflation in India remain at the current level. It (interest rates) is not likely to move downwards."
