Cabinet Approves Rs 1,500 Crore Additional Equity Infusion In IREDA

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said the decision has been taken in the wake of the RBI's lending norms

Union I&B Minster Anurag Thakur during a media briefing on Cabinet decisions, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Image: PTI

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved equity infusion of Rs 1,500 crore in the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), which would raise its additional lending capacity by Rs 12,000 crore.

"The enhanced lending capacity will enable IREDA to finance addition renewable energy capacity of up 4000 Mw. Present loan book size of IREDA is around Rs 27,000 crore," an official said.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the equity infusion of Rs 1,500 crore in IREDA," an official statement said.

At the news meet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said the decision has been taken in the wake of the RBI's lending norms.

The minister said the infusion of Rs 1,500 crore will enable IREDA to lend Rs 12,000 crore to the renewable sector.

According to the RBI lending norms, a lender can lend up to 20 per cent of its net worth. Thus, IREDA would now be able to lend up to Rs 900 crore in an RE projet as its net worth is increased to Rs 4,500 crore from existing Rs 3,000 crore, the official explained.

The official statement said that additional equity infusion of Rs 1,500 crore by the government will enable IREDA to lend Rs 12,000 crore approximately to the RE (renewable energy) sector, thus facilitating the debt requirement of RE of additional capacity of approximately 3500-4000 Mw.

According the statement, the equity infusion will also enable IREDA to enhance its net worth which will help it in additional RE financing, thus contributing better to the government targets for RE and also to improve the capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio (CRAR) to facilitate its lending and borrowing operations.

This equity infusion will help in employment generation of around 10,200 jobs per year and Co2 equivalent emission reduction of approximately 7.49 million tonne in a year, it added.

IREDA, a mini 'ratna' company under the administrative control of MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) was set up in 1987 to work as a specialised non-banking finance agency for the RE sector.

IREDA with more than 34 years of techno-commercial expertise, plays a catalytic role in the RE project financing which gives confidence to the FIs/banks to lend in the sector.