HomeCirculars › RBI/2007-2008/137

UCBs: Tighter Post-Sanction Monitoring of Advances

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/137 · issued 13 Sep 2007 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI directs Urban Co-operative Banks to strengthen post-sanction monitoring of advances, especially for accounts showing signs of turning NPA. Banks must ensure end-use of funds, prevent diversion, and treat non-credit of sale proceeds from hypothecated stock as fraud.

What changed

RBI reiterated existing safeguards but added stricter measures for accounts at risk of turning NPA, including more frequent inspections, ensuring sale proceeds are routed through the borrower's account, and insisting on pledge of stock instead of hypothecation. It also clarified that non-credit of sale proceeds from hypothecated stock to the loan account should normally be treated as fraud.

What it means for you

UCBs must now treat any sale of hypothecated stock without crediting proceeds to the loan account as a potential fraud, requiring immediate action to secure remaining stock. This raises the bar for monitoring and reporting, increasing operational burden but aiming to reduce NPAs and fraud. Banks need to update their internal monitoring systems and train staff to identify and act on diversion of funds promptly.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks, Credit monitoring and risk management teams, Branch managers handling loan accounts, Audit and inspection departments

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What constitutes diversion of funds under this circular?

Diversion includes using credit facilities for purposes other than sanctioned, making payments to parties unconnected with the borrower's business, and non-credit of sale proceeds from hypothecated stock to the loan account.

What action should a bank take if sale proceeds from hypothecated stock are not credited?

Such action should normally be treated as fraud. Banks must immediately secure the remaining stock to prevent further erosion of security value and take other warranted actions.

Does this circular apply to all loan accounts or only stressed ones?

The stricter safeguards (frequent inspections, pledge of stock) are specifically advised for accounts showing signs of turning NPA. However, general monitoring of end-use applies to all advances.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #2343: UBD PCB.Cir.No.13/13.05.000/07-08 — "Monitoring of Advances - Safeguards to be Observed - UCBs" dated September 13, 2007”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-2008/137 UBD PCB.Cir.No 13  /13.05.000/07-08 September 13, 2007. The Chief Executive Officer of all Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks Dear Sir, Monitoring of Advances-Safeguards to be observed-UCBs Please refer to our instructions on the above subject issued from time to time as consolidated in Para 4 of the Master Circular  UBD.BPD (PCB) MC. No.9 /13.05.000/2007-08 dated July 4, 2007  on Management of Loans and Advances. 2. While various safeguards have been prescribed therein pertaining to the post sanction monitoring of advances, such as regular inspection of borrowers’ assets charged to the banks, periodical visits to the assisted units, stock audits, etc, instances of diversion of funds and non –credit of sale proceeds to borrowal accounts continue to come to light, and are observed to be an important factor contributing to the perpetration of frauds/ the account turning NPAs. 3. It has been observed that at times credit facilities extended have been utilized for purposes other than those for which they were sanctioned and payments have been made from borrowal accounts to parties unconnected with the business of the borrower. Such diversion of funds also results in depletion of working capital leading to the account turning into NPA. Banks are advised to ensure that loan facilities are utilized by borrowers for the purpose sanctioned. Banks should therefore have a mechanism for proper monitoring of the end use of funds. Wherever diversion is observed, they should take appropriate action against the borrowers concerned and the steps needed to protect the bank’s interest. 4. It is therefore advised that the banks may put in place more stringent safeguards, especially where accounts shows sign of turning into NPAs. In such cases banks may strengthen their monitoring system by resorting to more frequent inspections of borrowers’ godowns, ensuring that sale proceeds are routed through the borrower’s accounts maintained with the bank and insisting on pledge of the stock in place of hypothecation. 5. It is further, advised that whenever stocks under hypothecation to cash credit and other loan accounts are found to have been sold but the proceeds thereof not credited to the loan account, such action should normally be treated as a fraud. In such cases, banks may take immediate steps to secure the remaining stock so as to prevent further erosion in the value of the available security as also other action as warranted. Yours faithfully, ( N.S.Vishwanathan ) Chief General Manager-in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-2008/137 · issued 13 Sep 2007. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=3816&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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