Ujjivan Hopes for RBI Decision on Universal Licence by December

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank hopes the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will decide on its application for a universal banking licence by December, its managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) Sanjeev Nautiyal said.

- Abirami Sekar

The RBI issued small finance bank licences to 10 applicants, including Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd, AU Small Finance Bank Ltd, and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Ltd, in 2016 to boost financial inclusion through mandatory rural branches and small-ticket loans. Universal banks, by comparison, can offer a broad range of services, including big corporate loans, investment banking, and insurance services.

"It is our internal assessment that by December, RBI might come up with a decision, and the decision can be a yes and it can also not be a yes... maybe by December; RBI could, it could also go beyond December. So, it is a timeline where we cannot dictate," Nautiyal told Mint in an interview on Monday.