In the last fiscal year, Kerala Bank’s NRI deposits increased by 10%, although the crisis after the pandemic resulted in the return of hundreds of thousands of foreigners. During the same period, domestic deposits also increased by 12%. According to the data provided by the State Bankers Committee for the 2020-21 fiscal year review held last week, as of March 31, the NRI deposits of banks across Kerala reached Rs 2,296.36 crore, and the corresponding day in 2020 was 2 086.98 billion trillion US dollars.

A similar growth pattern was reported for the 2019-20 fiscal year-10%. At the same time, as of March 31, domestic deposits have reached 3727.8 billion rupees, compared with 33567.4 billion rupees in the same period in 2020. NRI deposits are foreign currency deposits deposited by non-resident Indians in Indian banks. NRI deposits are different from remittances.

Remittances are foreign currency funds remitted by NRI to their family members, not remitted back to China like NRI deposits. In the past year, one million people who returned to Kerala from abroad-most of them from the Middle East-cited unemployment as a reason for their return to the country. People are worried that the return of expatriates will affect the state’s economy, because the money sent by expatriates is regarded as the lifeline of Kerala’s economy.

Despite the crisis caused by the pandemic, there are several reasons for the increase in NRI deposits in Kerala. Senior banker S Adikesavan said: “The NRI returning after the pandemic may have transferred its deposits in foreign accounts to banks in the country or the state.

At home, due to the blockade, transactions such as real estate are almost zero, which ensures These NRI deposits are still in the bank.”

News Source : The Indian Express