The Hindu Business Line : Panic is over for depositors, says OBC chief

THE Reserve Bank of India's swift move to announce the merger of Global Trust Bank (GTB) with Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) has come as a wonder-balm for the worried and agitated depositors of GTB, the OBC Chairman and Managing Director, Mr B.D. Narang, has said.

"The feedback that I am getting is that the panic is totally gone. The long queues of depositors are no longer there," Mr Narang told Business Line. OBC has one of the strongest balance sheets among public sector banks with capital adequacy of 16 per cent and zero net non-performing assets (NPAs).

Mr Narang assured that the interests of all stakeholders in GTB, including depositors, borrowers and employees, would be fully taken care of in the wake of the merger. "We will take care of the interests of all stakeholders. No one will suffer on account of the merger," Mr Narang said.

However, he said that the only section that would face the music would be the chronic defaulters of GTB against whom OBC would be taking stiff action. "I don't think that GTB had made much use of the Securitisation Act (that gives lenders immense powers to take action against defaulters outside the legal process). We would like to initiate a dialogue with all defaulting borrowers as soon as possible and if the defaulters are still reluctant to pay up, then the Securitisation Act will be used," Mr Narang said.

He said that though OBC's capital adequacy would come down from the present level it would still be above the mandatory minimum of 9 per cent. "If need be, I would raise Tier-II debt for which I already have the necessary permission," the OBC Chief said. He said that the bank also expects to get tax relief on account of the merger.

More Stories on : Private Banks | Mergers & Acquisitions | Public Sector Banks

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Dilemma over hedging receipts — Forex swings fox IT cos

Judge declines to hear Birla probate case on personal grounds

Oil marketing cos allowed to alter prices in narrow band

Colour television biz — BPL closing deal with Sanyo

GTB to be merged with Oriental bank — No share swap arrangement; all employees to be retained

Panic is over for depositors, says OBC chief

Scheme of amalgamation — GTB accounts to be transferred to OBC

Proportion of bad loans to advances is the key

Goldman Sachs exited GTB in April-June quarter

DoT raises doubts over Hutch Max FDI limit

Treading the beaten path