RBI May Permit Banks to Lend to REITs
MUMBAI: On Friday, the Reserve Bank of India proposed allowing banks to extend loans to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) with specific prudential safeguards, aiming to enhance the financing pool for the real estate industry. REITs are investment vehicles that manage income-producing real estate, offering investors a way to earn a portion of the income without directly buying properties. Developed in India, REITs and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) aim to liberate banks’ funds tied up in completed and operational real estate and infrastructure projects by refinancing these with pooled resources from institutional and retail investors. Initially, commercial banks were not…