PSBs may get the golden option to raise money

The government may have to consider the golden share option for public sector banks to help them raise extra capital from the markets. This is among several proposals being debated by advisers to the government as part of a strategy to strengthen the capital structure of these banks. Golden share means vesting a share or a set of shares with extraordinary rights to block any move made by a board of directors to alter a bank’s structure, like transforming a public sector bank into a private sector one, even if the government holds minority stake in it. The proposal is a re-run of a plan mooted by the previous NDA government to dilute government equity in banks from 51% to 33%.

Bank of India cuts term deposit rates

Bank of India has cut the interest rates on rupee term deposits by 10 to 50 basis points across various maturity periods. The revised rates on deposits having maturity of two years to less than three years would be 9 per cent (9.5 per cent), three to less five years 9.25 per cent (9.6 per cent) and five years and above 9.5 per cent (9.6 per cent). Senior citizens will now get additional 0.5 per cent above the card rates for maturity of six months and above on all deposit schemes uniformly.