Kolkata, May 10 (PTI) Over 30,000 cases were settled before their admission in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) till December 2024, covering defaults worth Rs 13.78 lakh crore, a top IBBI official said on Saturday.

This proves that the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) have prompted debtors to take early action in distress situations, marking a positive shift in their behaviour, he said.

"There's a noticeable improvement in credit discipline, with 30,310 cases settled prior to admission, covering underlying defaults worth Rs 13.78 lakh crore till December 2024," said Jitesh John, Executive Director, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).

Speaking at the 8th Annual Conference on IBC organised by CII Eastern Region here, John said the RBI’s Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2023-24 report indicated that of the Rs 96,000 crore recovered by scheduled commercial banks through various channels, Rs 46,000 crore came through IBC, highlighting its central role.

He added that 1,194 Corporate Insolvency Resolution Processes (CIRPs) ended in resolution till March 2025, realising Rs 3.89 lakh crore for creditors—about 32 per cent of the total claims. Creditors recovered around 170 per cent of the liquidation value and 93.36 per cent of the fair value through resolution plans.

Interestingly, about 40 per cent of these CIRPs involved defunct companies, John said, noting that even these were revived through the IBC, contributing to job creation.

In such cases, claimants realised 150.33 per cent of liquidation value and 18.96 per cent of their admitted claims.

Citing a study by IIM Ahmedabad, John said creditors in resolved cases realised 32 per cent of admitted claims and 168 per cent of liquidation value.

Post-resolution, the average total assets of firms rose by 50 per cent and capital expenditure surged 130 per cent, while the aggregate market valuation jumped from Rs 2 lakh crore to Rs 6 lakh crore. Liquidity also improved by 80 per cent, he said.

Arun Kumar Yadav, Chief General Manager – SARG, State Bank of India, stressed leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to expedite case admission, evaluate resolution plans, and attract bidders for stressed assets.

He suggested refining the code for timely liquidation orders and better handling of PUFE (Preferential, Undervalued, Fraudulent and Extortionate) transactions.

Bijay Murmuria, Chairman, CII ER Banking & Financial Services Subcommittee and Director, Sumedha Fiscal Services Ltd, said AI could predict potential insolvencies and assist judges in faster decision-making.

He added that blockchain technology could enhance transparency in insolvency proceedings by ensuring secure, tamper-proof data sharing. PTI BSM NN

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code spurred early settlements and encouraged tech-driven reforms to improve recoveries and transparency. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has prompted early debtor action and improved credit discipline, with over thirty thousand pre-admission settlements and numerous CIRPs concluding in resolution that realised recoveries above liquidation benchmarks. Many resolved CIRPs involved defunct companies that were revived, yielding asset growth, higher capital expenditure, market valuation gains, and improved liquidity. Conference participants advocated using artificial intelligence to speed admissions, assess plans, attract bidders, and predict insolvencies; refining the Code for timely liquidation orders and better handling of PUFE transactions; and employing blockchain to enhance transparency and secure data sharing in insolvency proceedings.