New Delhi, June 7 (KNN) Taking measure to give relief to micro, small and medium (MSMEs) badly affected with GST, even those not currently registered under GST regime, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has temporarily allowed them to delay their loan repayments up to 180 days from the due date.

The notification for this was issued in February 2018 and only MSMEs registered under GST was provided the loan repayment breather.

According to which banks and NBFCs were allowed to temporarily classify their exposures to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) registered Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), having aggregate credit facilities from these lenders up to Rs 250 million, as per a 180 day past due criterion, subject to certain conditions. 

But now, as per the notification released by RBI, with regard to the input credit linkages and associated issues, it has now been decided to temporarily allow banks and NBFCs to classify their exposure, as per the 180 day past due criterion, to all MSMEs with aggregate credit facilities up to the above limit, including those not registered under GST.

“Accordingly, eligible MSME accounts, which were standard as on August 31, 2017, shall continue to be classified as standard by banks and NBFCs if the payments due as on September 1, 2017 and falling due thereafter up to December 31, 2018 were/are paid not later than 180 days from their original due date,” said the RBI.

In view of the benefits from increasing formalization of the economy for financial stability, the 180 day past due criterion, in respect of dues payable by GST registered MSMEs from January 1, 2019 onwards, shall be aligned to the extant norm of 90 day past due in a phased manner, whereas for entities that do not get registered under GST by December 31, 2018, the asset classification in respect of dues payable from January 1, 2019 onwards shall immediately revert to the 90 day norm.

A loan account is qualified as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) based on 90 day and 120 day delinquency norms.

But, the RBI noted that that formalization of business through registration under GST had adversely impacted the cash flows of the smaller entities during the transition phase with consequent difficulties in meeting their repayment obligations to banks and NBFCs.

As a measure of support to these entities in their transition to a formalized business environment, RBI has eased the loan repayment norms temporarily, subject to the conditions defined above for all the borrowers classified as micro, small and medium enterprise under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006.