The Gross Advances of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) increased from ₹ 25,03,431 crore as on 31.3.2008 to ₹ 68,75,748 crore as on 31.3.2014, as per the Global Operations Data of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). As per RBI inputs, the primary reasons for spurt in stressed assets have been observed to be, inter-alia, due to aggressive lending practices, wilful default/loan frauds/corruption in some cases, and economic slowdown. Asset Quality Review (AQR) carried out in 2015 for clean and fully provisioned bank balance-sheets revealed high incidence of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). Expected losses on stressed loans, not provided for earlier under flexibility given to restructured loans, were reclassified as NPAs and provided for expected losses. During financial year (FY) 2017-18, all such schemes for restructuring stressed loans were withdrawn. The Aggregate Gross NPAs of PSBs increased primarily as a result of this transparent recognition of stressed assets as NPAs, from ₹ 2,16,739 crore, as on 31.3.2014, to ₹ 8,45,475 crore, as on 31.3.2018 (provisional data), as per RBI data on domestic operations.

As per unaudited financial results for the First Quarter of the Current Financial Year, declared by six Public Sector Banks (Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Vijaya Bank) till 31.7.2018, their aggregate gross NPAs showed reduction of ₹ 4,464 crore vis-a-vis gross NPAs as on 31.3.2018.

With regard to details of the proportion of NPAs coming from large sized Capital Intensive businesses as compared to medium and small enterprises, RBI has apprised that require information is not available.

This was stated by Shri Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister of State for Finance in a Written Reply to a Question in Lok Sabha today.

Asset Quality Review reveals spike in bank NPAs, prompting reclassification, provisioning and withdrawal of loan restructuring schemes. The 2015 Asset Quality Review revealed under-recognised stressed assets in Public Sector Banks caused by aggressive lending, wilful defaults, fraud and economic slowdown; restructured loans' expected losses were reclassified as NPAs and provided for, restructuring schemes were withdrawn in FY 2017-18 to ensure transparent recognition, producing a marked increase in aggregate gross NPAs of PSBs between March 2014 and March 2018, with a modest aggregate reduction reported by six PSBs in the following quarter, and no RBI data on NPA proportions by enterprise size.