Reports suggest that the officials of labour ministry and the finance ministry may soon discuss the issue of allowing EmployeesÂ’ Provident Fund Organisation to invest in infrastructure debt funds (IDF). Presently, EPFO is not allowed to invest a part of its Rs 5 lakh crore corpus in the IDF. It is learnt that the organisation, through the labour ministry, has already begu
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Tag: Infrastructure Debt Funds
IDF should address asset-liability mismatch
The government should explore various options that can nurture IDF in an industry-friendly way, writes Vivek Rao. While conceptually Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) would be very attractive for all stakeÂholders of the infrastructure sector including private sector developers, banks as well as the goverÂnment, IDFs would have to address certain challenges.
IDFs are yet to take shape in the country
It would be purposeful for taking steps towards simultaneously developing IDF and bond market, says SK Goel, Chairman & Managing Director, IIFCL, Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) are yet to take shape in the country as the infrastructure bond market is in its nascent stage. Till infrastructure bond market develops, IDFs may not find adequate avenues for investment and on the contrary till IDFs evolve, the infrastructure bond market may find it difficult to attract sufficient investments.
Investing in risk assessment
Over the last two months, HDFC Bank recruited heads for four verticals, including infrastructure finance, to grow its investment banking business. Recently, several banks have been hiring up infrastructure experts, and as innocuous as the news may seem, it reflects a longer term goal to get specialised. As with most other lessons in India's infrastructure sector, the solution is reactive, not innovative. So banks have a job on their hands, and don't they know it.
Consider development in addition to projects
Institutional investment in the recently introduced IDFs will require sovereign guarantees. Projected not merely as a factor of a single project but for several projects in a developmental cluster, such government guarantees can reduce the chances of the risk.
The number of accounts getting restructured has increased dramatically
Restructuring is fast becoming a norm among infrastructure and power companies in particular. With a 30 per cent exposure within infrastructure to power, SBI has been acting on both restructuring as well as advising the government on what norms to adopt for discoms before finance.
RBI eases IDF norms for NRIs
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to allow eligible non-resident investors to invest, on a repatriation basis, in rupee and foreign currency denominated bonds issued by the Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs) set up as non-banking financial companies.
On the foothills of an uncertain year
One of the key challenges in infrastructure is facilitating the flow of projected but large amounts of capital into infrastructure. Current trends indicate that there might be a funding shortfall of over $300 billion,
Infrastructure: New catalyst in the equation
Canada's steady and ongoing investment in India means that the confidence and basic market understanding are pre-eminent among Canadian companies. Jai Mavani explains what the entry points, facilitations and barriers are to invest in India's infrastructure.
MFs with 5-yr record can float infra debt funds
With regard to the infrastructure debt funds (IDFs), the SEBI board has approved the framework for setting up of the IDF by any existing mutual fund house that has been in the infrastructure financing business for at least five years.

