Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 2.0 Now Extended to SMA-1 Borrowers

The Department of Financial Services said in a tweet that the scope of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 2.0 has now been extended to cover the Special Mention Accounts- 1 (SMA). The DFS took to Twitter and wrote, "Scope of ECLGS 2.0 expanded! SMA-1 borrowers in the healthcare sector and 26 other high stress sectors (as identified by the Kamath Committee) are now eligible under ECLGS 2.0." The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 2.0 was launched by the government to help the business, especially firms in the micro, small and medium sector in wake of coronavirus pandemic last year. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme: What is ECLGS? Are You Eligible? Know All About It.

The scheme comprises all micro, small and medium borrowers accounts with combined outstanding loans across all MLIs (member lending institution) of up to Rs 50 crore in any sector and up to Rs 500 crore in respect of borrowers in the hospitality sector, travel and tourism sector and leisure and sporting sector and classified as regular, Special Mention Accounts-0 or Special Mention Accounts-1 as on February 29, 2020, according to the scheme's website. MSME Credit Moves Towards Pre-Pandemic Levels, Witnesses a Growth of 5.7%: Report.

The Special Mention Accounts (SMA) are those which are exhibiting signs of incipient stress resulting in the borrowers defaulting in timely servicing of their debt and borrowing obligations, though the accounts have not yet been classified as Non Performing Assets (NPAs) according to the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India. In the case of Special Mention Accounts-1, the overdue period is between 31 to 60 days.

The amount of Emergency Credit line to be extended to Business Enterprises or the firms in the micro, small and medium enterprises would be upto 20 per cent of total outstanding as on Feb 29,2020. The interest rate charged on such borrowing is capped at 9.25 per cent for banks and 14 per cent for the Non-Banking Financial Corporations (NBFCs). It has a maximum tenure of four years from the date of disbursement and the moratorium period on the principle amount is 12 months.