LOAN BY NIDHI COMPANIES

Today, we will discuss loan given by Nidhi Companies.

Loans [Rule 15]

A Nidhi shall provide loans only to its members.

The loans given by a Nidhi to a member shall be subject to the following limits, namely:.

(a) two lakh rupees, where the total amount of deposits of such Nidhi from its members is less than two crore rupees;

(b) seven lakh fifty thousand rupees, where the total amount of deposits of such Nidhi from its members is more than two crore rupees but less than twenty crore rupees;

(c) twelve lakh rupees, where the total amount of deposits of such Nidhi from its members is more than twenty crore rupees but less than fifty crore rupees; and

(d) fifteen lakh rupees, where the total amount of deposits of such Nidhi from its members is more than fifty crore rupees.

Where a Nidhi has not made profits continuously in the three preceding financial years, it shall not make any fresh loans exceeding fifty per cent of the maximum amounts of loans specified in clauses (a), (b), (c) or (d). A member shall not be eligible for any further loan if he has borrowed any earlier loan from the Nidhi and has defaulted in repayment of such loan.

The amount of deposits shall be calculated on the basis of the last audited annual financial statements.

A Nidhi shall give loans to its members only against the following securities, namely:

• gold, silver and jewellery; The re-payment period of such loan shall not exceed one year.
• immovable property; The total loans against immovable property [excluding mortgage loans granted on the security of property by registered mortgage, being a registered mortgage under section 69 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (IV of 1882)] shall not exceed fifty per cent of the overall loan outstanding on the date of approval by the board, the individual loan shall not exceed fifty per cent of the value of property offered as security and the period of repayment of such loan shall not exceed seven years.
• fixed deposit receipts, National Savings Certificates, other Government Securities and insurance policies: Such securities duly discharged shall be pledged with Nidhi and the maturity date of such securities shall not fall beyond the loan period or one year whichever is earlier. In the case of loan against fixed deposits, the period of loan shall not exceed the unexpired period of the fixed deposits.

Rate of interest [Rule 16]

The rate of interest to be charged on any loan given by a Nidhi shall not exceed seven and half percent above the highest rate of interest offered on deposits by Nidhi and shall be calculated on reducing balance method. Nidhi shall charge the same rate of interest on the borrowers in respect of the same class of loans and the rates of interest of all classes of loans shall be prominently displayed on the notice board at the registered office and each branch office of Nidhi.