The government has asked the Reserve Bank of India to consider tweaking the promoter criteria that may bring a wider pool of bidders for public sector banks.
There are currently 12 public sector banks.
The bank privatisation has come a cropper because RBI’s norms are clear that no existing bank can promote a new bank, and the same promoter cannot promote another bank.
The Budget for 2021-22 (Apr-Mar) had proposed privatising two public sector banks and one general insurance company.
Privatisation of public sector banks will require legislative amendments.