In News:
- The Reserve Bank of India has recently constituted a working group to review regulatory guidelines and supervisory framework applicable to core investment companies (CICs).
Background:
- Over the years, corporate group structures have become more complex involving multiple layering and leveraging, which has led to greater inter-connectedness with the financial system through their access to public funds.
- In September 2018, Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Company (IL&FS), a CIC with over 300 subsidiaries, defaulted on its payments following which over Rs 90000 crore worth of combined banking sector exposure was declared as non-performing or bad asset in the subsequent months.
- In light of these developments, there is a need to strengthen the corporate governance framework of CICs
About the Tapan Ray Committee
- The RBI has constituted a six-member committee, headed by Tapan Ray to strengthen the corporate governance framework of systematically important Core Investment Companies (CICs).
Functions of the Committee
- Examine the current regulatory framework for CICs in terms of adequacy, efficacy and effectiveness of every component thereof and suggest changes.
- Assess the appropriateness of and suggest changes to the current approach of the RBI towards registration of CICs, including the practice of multiple CICs being allowed within a group.
- Suggest measures to strengthen corporate governance and disclosure requirements for CICs
- Assess the adequacy of supervisory returns submitted by CICs and suggest changes.
Submission of report
- The committee report is to be submitted by October 31, 2019.
Core Investment Companies (CIC)
- These are Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) which have their assets predominantly as investments in shares shares, bonds, debentures etc. They can’t engage in trading of the instruments they holds.
- CICs also do not carry out any other financial activity.
- CIC is a non-banking financial company carrying on the business of acquisition of shares and securities and which
- Holds not less than 90 per cent of its net assets in the form of investment in equity shares, preference shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in group companies and
- Its investments in the equity shares in group companies constitutes not less than 60 per cent of its net assets
- Only those CICs having an asset size of Rs 100 crore and above are treated as systemically important core investment companies.
