Bandhan Bank to gradually lower its microcredit exposure: CEO Ghosh

Bandhan Bank Ltd will gradually lower exposure to microcredit in percentage terms over the next three to five years, its MD and CEO Chandra Sekhar Ghosh said on Thursday.

When the private lender started operations in August 2016, microcredit constituted 85 per cent of its total loan portfolio.

"The bank's exposure to microcredit at present is 61 per cent. Over the next three to five years, the bank's ratio of micro and non-microcredit will be 50:50," Ghosh told PTI.

Housing loans make up for 30 per cent of the credit portfolio and MSME 9 per cent, he said.

As of December 2019, the bank's total exposure stood at Rs 65,456 crore, with a deposit base of Rs 55,000 crore and CASA level at 34 per cent, Ghosh said.

"We are expecting a secular growth in terms of credit offtake in the current financial year despite the slowdown in the economy," he said.

"Though there is a slowdown due to multiple factors, the impact on the credit growth of Bandhan Bank will not be very much. Due to good rabi crop, spending by low-middle income consumers will be at a good level," Ghosh said.

He said the bank is working hard towards meeting regulatory compliance due to which restrictions on the opening of new branches have been lifted by the RBI.

"Bandhan Bank is fully committed about meeting RBI compliance in respect of bringing down the stake of non- operating holding company to the stipulated level of 40 per cent from the present 61 per cent," he said.

Following its merger with Gruh Finance, the promoter holding in the bank has come down from 80 per cent to 61 per cent.

The Kolkata-based bank has 1,013 branches and other forms of banking outlets across the country.