Uco Bank (NSE: UCOBANK) Q3 2025 Earnings Call dated Jan. 21, 2025
Corporate Participants:
Unidentified Speaker
Ashwani Kumar — Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Rajendra Kumar Saboo — Executive Director
Analysts:
Unidentified Participant
Sushil Choksey — Analyst
Anmol Das — Analyst
Ashlesh Sonje — Analyst
Presentation:
Unidentified Speaker
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to Yupo Bank Q3 FY ’25 earnings Conference Call.
It is our pleasure to introduce you to the senior management of Yupo Bank. We have with us Mr Asmini Kumar, MDLC User; Mr Rajend Rukumar Sabu, Executive Director; Mr Vijay Kamle, Executive Director.
We will have opening remarks from the MD sir, post which we’ll open the floor for the question-and-answer session. Thank you, and over to you, MDC.
Ashwani Kumar — Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Thank you. I welcome all analysts and investors to this post Quarter 3 results analyst Call.
First of all, I would like to share the business performance of the bank in-quarter three, our guidance, initiatives taken and planned. Then we will have your observations and our comments on your observations. See, our bank’s business has grown by 12.28% in-quarter three for the year ’24-’25 on a Y-o-Y basis, of which deposit grew by 9.36% and advances grew by 16.44%. Against — in the deposit, savings grew by 6.23% and current grew by 25.74%. Our CASA ratio maintained at around 37.97% as against 37.61% a year-ago. Our CASA growth was around 8.25% — 8.24% on a Y-o-Y basis. In advances, our retail grew by 31%. Within retail, home loan grew by 19.36% and vehicle loan grew by 51.93%. Agriculture grew by 20.04%. Within agriculture, our focus was on SAG and gold loan, agri allied activities. So these are the three components which were growth was there.
In MSME, the growth was around 12.75%. If I come to asset quality, bank’s NPA — gross NPA has come down to 2.91%, there is 94 bps improvement over last year. Net NPA improved by 35 bps to 0.63%. Our PCR improved by 95 bps to 96.16% and our tangible PCR excluding TW also improved to 78.90%, that is 350 bps improvement over last year. Profitability parameters, our net interest income grew by 19.62% on a Y-o-Y basis. Our non-interest income grew by 37.37.75%. NIM domestic improved by 36% on a Y-o-Y basis to 3.38%. NIM global also improved by 33 bps on a Y-o-Y basis to 3.17%. Our yield on advances, domestic also improved by 25 bps to 9.06%. Our yield on advances global also improved by 22 bps to 8.70%. Our operating profit for the quarter improved by 41.73% on a Y-o-Y basis to INR1,586 crore and net profit improved by 27% on a Y-o-Y basis to INR639 crore.
I’ll now go to the guidance which we have shared at the start of the year. Our guidance was domestic — our deposit growth 8% to 10%. We have achieved 9.36% in this quarter. CASA growth guidance was 8% to 10%. Our achievement is 8.24%. Credit growth was 12% to 14%, achievement is 16.44%. CASA 37% to 38%. We are at 37.97%. RAM mix was 60% to 62%. We are at 62.36%. CD ratio, we have planned for a year 74% to 75%. We have achieved 74.45%. Credit cost was less than 1%. Now for this quarter credit cost is 0.49%, name global was 3% to 3.10, we have achieved 3.17. GNPA less than 3%, we have achieved 2.90% and net NPA less than 0.65%. Our achievement is 0.63% in this quarter itself. Slippage ratio was 1% to 1.25%. In this quarter, it is 0.992%. So all guidance parameters have been achieved in this quarter performance. Our CD ratio, which was around 69.93% a year-ago has improved to 74.45% in this year.
Business growth I have already spoken priority sector, all targets have been achieved for the priority sector lending. If you look at our rating mix, our 81% of our portfolio is 78% of our portfolio is BBB and above. Now coming to fee-based income, non-interest income, it improved from INR861 crore to INR1,186 crore. That was INR100 crore, more than around INR100 crore improvement in the recovery in return of accounts and in our fee — charges and commission for advances around from INR106 crore to INR130 crore charging and commission from others, INR145 crore to INR180 crores and treasury income also improved from minus INR25 crore to INR145 crore. So, that was the reasons for our improvement in our non-interest income.
If you look at our cost of deposit, our cost of deposit in December ’23 was 4.91%, now it has improved to 4.90%. Cost of funds at 4.78% has improved to 4.75%. Cost-to-income ratio, it was 60.72% a year-ago, now it is 55.50%. Sequentially, quarter-on-quarter it is coming down our business per employee, which was around INR20 crore a year-ago, it has touched now INR23 crore. Similarly, business per branch has also improved from INR135 crore to INR150 crores. So operational efficiency parameters, there is a good improvement in the bank.
See, we had a slippage of around INR418 crores in this quarter vis-a-vis INR864 in the previous quarter and INR483 crore in December ’23 quarter. Last quarter, we had one big account that slipped. We discussed that account last quarter. But this quarter, the slippages are across segments that it is not that in one segment, it is lopsided. Slippages are there retail, agri MSME and corporate also. So — but our overall recovery and upgradation in this quarter was INR1,064 crore and against the cash recovery and upgradation INR309 return of INR1,064 crore in this quarter. And total slippage was INR418 crore only. And on quarter-on-quarter basis, we are seeing that our slippages are lower than our overall cash recovery upgradation in our advances, NPA accounts.
If we look at our segment NPA, our segment NPA retail credit NPA ratio is 0.74 only and in our agriculture NPA ratio is coming down on a quarter-on-quarter basis from 14.44% in December ’23 to 11.70% in December ’24. Similarly in MSME, it was 7.46%. It has improved to say 5.78% in December ’24. Now the SMA stress account, more than INR1 crore, we declare every quarter SMA accounts more than INR1 crore. The amount of SMA is 0, 1, 2 in all three categories, more than INR1 crore has come down to INR1,468 crore. This is 0.70% of the total advances. Previous quarter it was 0.79% and prior to that, a year-ago, it was 1.04. So the asset quality has been improving on a quarter-on-quarter basis.
Our restructured portfolio is also coming down with repayment on a quarter-on-quarter basis, our total restructured advances as on December ’23 was INR3,663 crore has come down to INR2,706 crores. So that is a good improvement. But let me also share that on restructured advances, whatever RBI mandated provision is required, that is already there. In addition to that, we have already made additional COVID-looking provision of INR530 crore, though the portfolio is coming down on a quarter-on-quarter basis, but we are holding on to that provision, additional provision in our books.
Capital adequacy of the bank is 16.25, but if we look at nine months profitability and if we add nine months profitability into our net-worth, then our CIR will be 17.5%. We have 3,298 branches as on today. As on December it was 3,263 but as on today 3,298 branches are there. Our average age of our employees is 38 years and 74% of our employees are less than 30 40 years of age. Bank and our team has been working in digital parameters. Our active mobile banking users have doubled in a year’s time by — with a growth of 97%.
Active mobile banking users has also increased by 82% in a year’s time. And our digital business that is opening of RD and FT digitally has also increased by 85% — 81% in one year. UPI transaction volume has also improved by 36% in one year and 10% in 1/4. WhatsApp banking users have also improved by 304%. We introduced WhatsApp Banking a year-ago. Now around four — around 5 lakh customers are using our WhatsApp Banking and 1/4 improvement is 71%, but in one year it is 304%.
So now the initiatives taken by the bank. Bank has launched the last quarter — last quarter bank has launched digital transformation project where we have planned digitization of at least 25 journeys and across various liability and asset segments, of which nine journeys have been made live till now and many more journeys are under plan. Every month, we’ll be coming out with a digital journeys. We had planned for a INR6,000 crore of digital business in this financial year. And I’m happy to share that on asset side, we have crossed around INR1,300 crore of digital business and on liability side, we have crossed around INR7,000 crore of digital business that is opening FD, RD and other deposit products. And current outstanding is around INR5,000 crore in all those digital business parameters.
We have also introduced various announcements in our mobile app and Internet banking, which as a result, our corporate mobile banking app, which is one of the unique mobile banking app for our current account holders. That rating has also raised to 4.7% and mobile banking — for retail customers, mobile banking app rating has also — is also 4.7%, 4.7%. We have also launched various partnerships for — in our digital marketing space, that is our discounts with Plutos using Euco debit card, Zometo discounts using Euco debit cards, book my show, buy one, get one offer, positive pay features on WhatsApp, on debit card users offers are there and we have also exclusive banking partner with Bali Yatra Asia’s largest open trade fair in.
On ESG initiatives, Bank has been taking various initiatives. We have launched a special concessional rate of interest on EV schemes. We have launched PM Surya Surio — scheme and as announced by Honorable Prime Minister. And we have also in launched green deposit scheme where we offer higher-rate of interest to our customers than the normal rate of interest. We have also obtained green certificate from CIESC for purchasing 25% of renewable energy. We have planted over 22,000 trees across India and our renewable energy portfolio has also increased to around INR3,700 crore in this quarter. So these were the few initiatives which we have taken in this quarter.
One more thing, we have given a guidance of around INR3,000 crore of recovery in this financial year out of which around INR2,700 crore has already been recovered in nine months. So — and further initiatives have been taken to enhance if for enhancing the customer service, digital queue management system has been introduced in high-traffic branches for quick and secure and seamless customer experience. WhatsApp Banking has been launched wherein we are providing 35 services in five languages. In the English, Bengali, Asami and Uriya, multichannel feedback system has been introduced in branches, website, mobile banking, IVR, QR code, Q management system to enhance customer satisfaction.
For our retail customers, we have launched Yukot Karsh, a potential preferential financial support to students, admitted to premium institutes, Aspire 2.0, this is enhanced loan education loan scheme for financing Meditorial students studying abroad for female customers female customers run scheme special concession rate of interest has been given. Women-centric policy has been introduced in the bank policy on running and development policy on local bank officer has also been introduced. Bank has advertised around 250 local bank officer post and which has just gone into the — gone live last week.
The bank is also planning to bring talent by inducting specialist officers in IT, CAs, law and in risk security officer, HR fire officer and economist. For women customers, special incentives have been given in-home loan scheme by of 0.05 in MSME, 0.25% concession for women’s under MSME, educational loan 0.5% concession under IBM model scheme. The special scheme has been launched for MSME entrepreneurs, women entrepress, Yuko MSME Nari Salman, special scheme for women entrepreneurs. Similarly for women customers, Yuko Prajita debit card has been launched. That is exclusively for women with enhanced benefits. The exclusive product for saving current and RD for women under the umbrella pink basket has been introduced, which is loaded with accidental insurance plus attractive discounts on our lockers and other services.
In IT and cybersecurity number of things have been implemented. We have established next-generation next Gen Next network operation center. We have net operated brand — brand width of brandwidth of our branches. We have introduced re KYC through phone banking. Tab banking has been introduced and more than around 50% of branches are opening account through tab banking. Other branches have also been provided with the tab and hopefully by this next month and all branches will be equipped with the tab banking and opening accounts with the tab banking.
We are also planning to launch CBDC and card for HNI customers, that is a rupaid debit card with premium privileges for HNA customers. We are also planning to launch slot booking through mobile banking so that the customer need not to wait for. We are also launching now MSME Yuva Shakti for Young Entrepreneurs, supply-chain finance, ForEx PC. So many, many things are in pipeline. Hopefully, in this quarter, things will be getting launched and next week — week — next year, we will see the operation of the — all these things going-live.
We have embarked on a branch expansion plan of 130 branches at the time of start of the year, happy to share that in our 82nd year of Foundation Day from 82nd year to 83rd year, that is on 6th of January 2025, we have already opened around 82 branches and remaining branches are under process and hopefully by March, we should be completing those another 20, 30 or maybe 40 branches by March. So that was our own expansion plan.
So these are the highlights which I wanted to share with you. I will now pause here and we’ll be available for your questions-and-answers and queries. Thank you.
Questions and Answers:
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you, sir. We’ll start the Q&A. Q&A participants those who have any question please raise your hand. We take the first question from Divya Pandey [Phonetic]. Please unmute yourself and go-ahead with your question.
Unidentified Participant
Yes, sir. Thank you for taking my question. What is your total gold loan portfolio, including agri and non-agri gold loan and how is the growth in that segment? And…
Ashwani Kumar
Gold loan?
Unidentified Participant
Yeah. Please go-ahead, go-ahead, please. Yeah. So you can answer this and I’ll ask the next one.
Ashwani Kumar
Okay, okay. So gold line — gold loan portfolio is around INR8,900 crore currently.
Unidentified Participant
Okay.
Ashwani Kumar
INR9,000 — sorry, INR9,600 crore. So we have a very small gold loan portfolio of INR9,600 crore and our growth in gold loan portfolio is how much? 25%?
Unidentified Participant
And also, sir, okay, could you tell the agri and non-agri split?
Ashwani Kumar
Yes, yes, I can give you. [Foreign Speech] See, out of 9,600, agri is around 5,581 and retail is around 2,000 and MSME is around 2,000. So agri is around 50%.
Unidentified Participant
Okay, okay. Sir, my next question would be, so the personal loan segment has grown very sharply this quarter. Though the total portfolio is very small at INR2,000 crore, but growth looks much higher. Could you just throw some light on that?
Ashwani Kumar
See, we have started a digitization program called under which PQPL was one-product which we launched and this product is backed by transactions in the account, customers having salary accounts, customer having regular flow of income into their accounts for last nine months, basis those BRE eligible customers were given offer and they availed that offer. Here, I would like to specifically mention that these are the customers who are maintaining salary count with us or pension loan account with us or are having a regular transaction for last nine months. So basis that this offer is given. It is hardly 1% of our total portfolio.
Unidentified Participant
Okay, sir. Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker
We will take the next question from Sushil Choksey. Please unmute yourself and go-ahead with your question.
Sushil Choksey
Congratulations on stable numbers and.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you. Thank you, Sushil ji.
Sushil Choksey
Management. Sir, I have couple of questions on the growth part of the bank. Do you think you have to have the guidance or you would maintain the guidance?
Ashwani Kumar
Sorry, Sujilja, I was not able to hear.
Sushil Choksey
Your guidance for credit growth this year, looking at the numbers, will you exceed the target or to maintain the target?
Ashwani Kumar
See, our guidance was 12% to 14%. And in last nine months, we have already achieved around 11.5% growth on YTD basis. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, if we look, in this quarter, our growth was around 5.42% last quarter, 2.42% previous June quarter 3.41%. So our guidance is 14%. Guidance now looks to be on a conservative basis. We’ll definitely surpass the guidance going by the current trend.
Sushil Choksey
Sir, my next question is on your traction NIM is concerned and your guidance on ROE, ROA, NIM, can you elaborate what is likely to in the Q4 or there any changes likely to happen there?
Ashwani Kumar
See our NIM guidance was around 3 to 3.10 and happy to see that we have achieved our guidance in this quarter and previous quarter, and we have been — our NIM has been improving on a quarter-on-quarter basis. On 31st March, we had 3.03, then 3.09, 3.10 and now 3.17, that is global NIM. Domestic also, we have improved from 3.02 in December ’23 to 3.38, so 36 bps improvement in our NIM in last one year-on a domestic basis and 33% — 33 bps improvement in our global. So our guidance continues to be 3 to 3.10, but we will continue to work-in improvement of our NIM on a quarter-on-quarter basis as we have been doing last five, six quarters. And ROA, ROE, if you see our ROA has been improving. If you look at from June ’23, it was 0.28, then 0.54, 0.67, 0.69.7, 0.73, now 0.79%. So quarter-on-quarter basis, we will see ROA continues to ROA and ROE continues to improve in every quarter.
Sushil Choksey
Where do we see our gross NPA and net NPA number at the year-end?
Ashwani Kumar
Our guidance was less than 3%. We have already achieved 2.90%.
Sushil Choksey
I’m happy with 2.9%. I’m asking whether you will go to 2.5 or 2.4% by the year-end 0.6 to 8.5%., more?
Ashwani Kumar
So if everything goes right, then we will further reduce it from 2.90, maybe 2.80 or something like that.
Sushil Choksey
So my intent of our question was if your profitability is rising, will you provide more and bring the NPA numbers down or there is like it seems that you had a smart recovery in this quarter also. So the recovery path is going to help or is the telecom account having some resolution, which I’m sure some other analysts will ask you later and elaborate, but where-is the recovery coming from technically written-off assets or some other recovery, some elaboration because I see the number of recovery is better than previous quarters.
Ashwani Kumar
So recovery has come out — come from a recovery in written-off accounts in this quarter also previous quarter also. We expect that trend to continue, but magnitude may be here and there, but the trend of recovery will come because many customers are coming forward for a resolution also for OTS also. So basis — on case-to-case basis, we are taking a call to accept the resolution or to accept the OTS amount where we get a value-for-money that there we accept. So that is one on recovery front. On our MTNL telecom and we are yet to get any final offer or final. There were certain discussions, which JLM has not yet agreed and final resolution plan is yet to be put in-place. So once that is in-place, that time we will have some good amount of recovery. But to share with you, we are 100% provided for in that account itself in this quarter.
Sushil Choksey
So how are your efforts working towards digitization and CASA growth?
Ashwani Kumar
See, if you look at my CASA, we have taken a lot of initiatives I explained in earlier quarters also. What we have done in this quarter, we have strengthened our zona resource team. Earlier our focus was on central office and corporate office resource team. We have strengthened. Now we have given tab to all branches. Earlier it was around 1,700 branches. Now the configuration of the tab with biometric is going on. I think by next month and all tabs will be up and running. So that will help me in getting quality CASA customers acquisition when our people go in the market. But with these little efforts, whatever we have taken in last one year, if you see, our CASA ratio has been maintained in 37% to 38% range.
We have not decline — we have not seen major decline in our CASA ratio. CASA ratio continues to be around 37% to 38% and that was our guidance also that will — it will be our endeavor. Going-forward also, our focus will be on quality CASA customer acquisition through tab banking, through various salary savings account tie-ups. We have already done few tie-ups in last quarter. Our teams are giving — Zone resource team and Adovie’s resource team are giving presentation to various PSUs, MNCs to open salary count of their customers. So some are clicking, some are not clicking. So efforts are on and efforts will continue in this financial year also to see that we are able to maintain our CASA ratio.
Sushil Choksey
So every bank is aspiring there and become a consumer bank among Ph2 banks and numbers are looking good on many fronts. What are the new products which you’ve launched in as a consumer finance in our bank where other than home loans, which everybody talks about what other products. I understand we have done something on auto, so I’m specifically asking what product have we launched, which is yielding good results…
Ashwani Kumar
See, recently, looking at the interest of our customers, we have revamped the entire education landscape for our students studying in India, studying abroad, studying in premier institutes and also for women customers who want to study abroad. So the entire product portfolio has been revamped. In MSME, basis the request received from various jones, we have launched cluster-specific schemes. For Nari for the women customers, MSME has launched a MSME Nari Saman scheme for women entrepreneurs with attractive features for young generation, MSME Yua Shakti scheme has been launched that is also to attract young entrepreneurs to our scheme of things.
For as announced by Honorable FM for digital — towards digital push to MSME, this is their digital footprint. MSME Smart Finance scheme has already been launched with digital MSME loans up to INR25 lakhs. Then GST Smart Finance scheme has also been launched. So that is also attracting a good traction amongst the customers. And apart from that, we are working on bringing a pre-approved vehicle loan to our existing customers bases their transaction history. Bank has implemented EDW, EW, EDW project where 360-degree view of the customer view of the customer is available and bases our AI-ML, we are able to generate leads and push those leads to our branches.
Branches are connecting to those customers and giving special offer to those segmental customers either for education loan, housing loan, vehicle loan. So that effort is also started yielding some result in this quarter. So these are the initiative — yes, for our HNI customers, we are launching a special metal card, Eterna metal card for our HNI customers with various inbuilt benefits to our HNI customers. For women, we are launching a special card, a Prajita debit card, Yuko Prajita debit card to attract our women customers with a special benefits to those customers. We are also planning to launch of wealth.
Sushil Choksey
Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Ashwani Kumar
We are also planning to launch Wealth corner at our branches specific branches, maybe 40 to 50 branches across India because what we analyze that many of our customers are using our account and they are making some investments through various — in various mutual funds, various share brokings. So we want to offer those services to our customers specialized services. We are planning, but we are yet to finalize what will be the motors, how it will operate, which branches, which customers. So that is also in the pipeline.
Sushil Choksey
Yes, please go-ahead, sir. So this will be all done digitally, right?
Ashwani Kumar
Yes, yes, digitally.
Sushil Choksey
So our app expenditure and what is the outlook on the app, which we are trying to enhance the visibility of the app.
Ashwani Kumar
Our mobile app?
Sushil Choksey
Yes.
Ashwani Kumar
Hey, mobile app, if you look at our numbers we have given in our presentation also, our mobile active users, we have started tracking in last one year. Earlier, we used to track registered users and now we have started tracking active users. In last one year, our active users have improved by around 80% to 90%. Our daily logins have also improved by almost doubled…
Sushil Choksey
As you say the number what was there last year and what is the number today?
Ashwani Kumar
See, today our active mobile users are around 38 lakh. A year before it was around 17 lakhs only.
Sushil Choksey
Sir, secondly, I understand you are doing specific product on second-hand car finance on the luxury segment. This is what I hear from the customer was that side, what average ticket are we doing and what will it is this finance because trying to differentiate yourself from other banks who are not doing these products. That’s the reason I’m asking that question.
Ashwani Kumar
See, we have and we have a product where we finance these vehicles maybe luxury or not luxury and we get 11 — [Foreign Speech] so that is that is giving us a good yield in the range of 10% to 11% in the range of 11%.
Sushil Choksey
What LTV will be this?
Ashwani Kumar
What?
Sushil Choksey
Loan-to-value?
Ashwani Kumar
Loan-to-value will be around 75% — 30 70 or 25 75.
Sushil Choksey
Second thing, sir, my last question is around provision and contingency. Yeah, quarter-on-quarter we have gone up. I think last quarter we had income tax write-back. This quarter we have made some additional growth and can you highlight what is the backlog?
Ashwani Kumar
Which one additional provisions?
Sushil Choksey
So provision for NPA has reduced and others has increased from minus INR156 to INR320 I assume there was charge.
Ashwani Kumar
[Foreign Speech]. Okay. Okay, okay. See, provisions on some of the other assets, we have kept a provision of around INR300 crore. NBA max.
Sushil Choksey
Are we doing some accelerated provision by ECL norm? What is this?
Ashwani Kumar
So this is a forward this is a forward-looking provision? I will not say that ECL accelerated program is a forward-looking provision we are building in within the system.
Sushil Choksey
Sir, my last question to, sir [Foreign Speech].
Ashwani Kumar
Saboo ji.
Rajendra Kumar Saboo
Good afternoon. Treasury outlook. We all know that the yields are means moving in a range. Earlier we saw the yields falling and then again picking-up due to various geopolitical and other issues. So, I think the yields will continue in this — our estimate and our — anticipation is that the yield will continue to fall, wins remain in this range, maybe if you see some good news going ahead in Indian economy and financial market and liquidity position, we can see 660 type of level that is maybe we don’t know. But broadly means broadly the range 660 to 680 will continue. I think that is our view as of now.
Sushil Choksey
Sir, in last quarter, the quarter which we are reporting 710 is the recovery written on assets. Can we sustain this number in this current quarter? It will be higher or lower.
Rajendra Kumar Saboo
Recovery in TWO…
Ashwani Kumar
See, recovery see total, we have given a guidance of around INR3,000 crore of recovery in this financial year. And there were certain accounts which we are preempting that will come in 4th-quarter, but the recovery came in 3rd-quarter also. So recovery will be in this range, but a little bit of a here and there in this quarter also because certain accounts which were expected in-quarter four, that recovery came in-quarter three. So that is the reason that our recovery in-quarter three is on a higher side.
Sushil Choksey
Thank you. Congratulations and best wishes for the year. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. We’ll take the next question from. Please unmute yourself and go-ahead with the question.
Unidentified Participant
Hello. Am I audible?
Ashwani Kumar
Yes, please. Yes, please. Rajesh, go-ahead.
Unidentified Participant
Thank you for the opportunity. So, my question is regarding the loan growth. So the loan growth in corporate segment was quite healthy at 5% quarter-on-quarter. So which segment has driving this and how is the demand outlook on this segment? And what are the total sanctions you have as on debt and which sector contributes to it more? So, I want to know on this.
Ashwani Kumar
See, if you look at our corporate growth, there were certain segments like road and infrastructure, there was a growth in this quarter, around, I think INR1,000-odd crore growth in road and infrastructure. That was a completed road project that I also can tell you. And then in metals, there was a growth in this quarter, certain ethanol projects, iron and steel projects, cement, renewables. So these were the projects where we saw some interest coming in. There are many sanctions which are in the pipeline and under disbursement also, maybe around INR10,000 crore of sanctions are there, which are under disbursement that will take little longer because gestation period or moratorium period is for implementation of the project is there. Second, demand is also coming from the data center. We have already done one. Another data center project is also under process. So various — various know if this is not from one sector various sectors we are getting interest across the sectors.
Yes, please?
Unidentified Participant
My second-line is on — so companies marching towards sustainability and having a lot of sustainability initiatives as of now. What is the company’s way forward towards having a green portfolio or investing in companies with green projects.
Ashwani Kumar
See, if you look at our initiatives which we have started, first, we have started from the liability side, we have started raising green deposit by offering additional interest over normal deposit rate of interest, number-one. Number two, we have introduced asset product which encourage customers to buy EVs or solar products and we are offering them an attractive rate of interest. Third, our focus is on renewable projects also and our portfolio has improved and increased in this quarter. And this quarter, we had around — outstanding is around INR3,700 crore of renewable energy portfolio. Our focus in the coming quarters will continue to enhance our green financing portfolio by bringing one or the other initiatives, whatever is there.
We have also introduced this in our credit rating product also, the initiatives which customers are taking for building their companies as a green company. We have also obtained certification certificate from Calcutta Electricity Board Supply Corporation for 25% of renewable energy certificate. And then we have also tied-up with PCAF for assessment of our portfolio. So, that will also give us some indication where we are moving, where we need to go and how we need to go.
Unidentified Participant
Thank you so much. That’s some help.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. Participants hope you have any question please raise your hand. We’ll take the next question from Anmol Das. Please unmute yourself and go-ahead.
Anmol Das
Yeah. Good afternoon, sir.
Ashwani Kumar
Good afternoon.
Anmol Das
So yeah. So my question was related to the corporate segment because we have been seeing the banking sector not you know lending out very easily towards the corporate segment like they used to. So are we seeing that it has already been overplayed and now especially the PSU banks are going to lend more heavily towards the corporate segment in the coming, say, medium-term of this next fiscal year.
Ashwani Kumar
See, if you look at corporate, our growth in corporate on a quarter-on-quarter basis is sustainable. Our corporate book continues to be in the range of 31% to 32% of our — sorry, 37% to 38% of our total advances. Our RAM segment continues to be in the 61% to 62%. And if you look at this quarter also, our corporate book growth is around 14%, wherever our RAM portfolio growth is around 20%. So it’s not like that the banks were not giving credit to the corporates. Bank have been giving credit to the corporates. So on a quarter-on-quarter basis on a year-on-year basis also. And we’ll continue to give — keep lending to all bankable projects, which come to us in corporate segment. As I already told in the question before, you asked that we have — in the last quarter, we have funded to basic metal also. We have funded to road project also, that is a completed road project. We have funded to ethanol projects also. We are funded to textile also. We are funded to Iron and steel also, data center also. So wherever bankable project, where cash-flow feasibility is there, the promoter standing is there, banks — our bank has been funding those projects and we’ll continue to fund those projects.
Anmol Das
Understood, sir. And on the retail mix, if I say, so retail growth — loan growth has been faster than the corporate. So will you be going ahead than your guidance regarding RAM mixture and go beyond 62% or 65% of your portfolio in the RAM side?
Ashwani Kumar
See, our guidance is around 61 to 62 RAM portfolio will continue with 61%. And if it improves, it is so-far and so good. What we have done is we have activated our branch network from where we are getting leads generated, we have introduced hub structure where they are sending leads. And as a result, TAT has improved a lot for housing loan, car loan, MSME loans. As a result, we show — we see a good amount of growth in our retail segment. And we will continue to grow in retail and in corporate also and healthy mix of 62% will — I think it’s a healthy mix we need to continue to maintain.
Anmol Das
Okay, sir. Understood. Thank you and good set of numbers. Congratulations.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you. Thank you, Ashish [Phonetic]. Thank you. Thank you, Anmol.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. We’ll take the next question from Ashlesh Sonje. Please go ahead with your question.
Ashlesh Sonje
Hi, sir. Good afternoon and congratulations.
Ashwani Kumar
Yes. Thank you.
Ashlesh Sonje
Sir, firstly, on the recovery from written-off accounts, that number has increased Q-o-Q quite sharply. Was there any lumpy recovery here? And if you can give more details about this?
Ashwani Kumar
Yeah. I already shared that there was a recovery in one big account in this quarter, which we were expecting in quarter four and fortunately, that came in-quarter three itself. So that is the reason that recovery in quarter three is substantially higher than the earlier quarters. And that was a good recovery, I think of — I can’t tell you the name, that has come that is true.
Ashlesh Sonje
So which sector has this come from?
Ashwani Kumar
Sector I can tell you is as so that is from infrastructure sector.
Ashlesh Sonje
Okay, sir.
Ashwani Kumar
That was from infrastructure sector. There are two, three, three accounts and one we were expecting in this quarter, 4th-quarter, but it came in third quarters.
Ashlesh Sonje
Okay, got it. And under the retail loans category, you have a sub-segment called other retail loans. What is classified under that line?
Ashwani Kumar
Yeah. See, under other retail loan, we classify our staff loans, loans against FDR, gold loans, co-lending and any lab plus with any portfolio which we purchased from some other under DA purchase. So that also comes under other retail.
Ashlesh Sonje
Major books, major portfolio here would be which ones?
Ashwani Kumar
Major portfolio is staff loans and the pool which we have purchased loan against FDR. So these are the three and education loan. So these are the 3, 4 loans. So gold loan. So gold staff loan against FTR, pool and education. These are the five components of these other loans.
Ashlesh Sonje
Thank you.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. Please raise your hand we’ll take the next question from Sushil Choksey. Please go-ahead sir.
Ashwani Kumar
Yes, Choksey ji.
Sushil Choksey
Sir, what is the update on the equity front? We have hired merchant bankers which is visible in public domain. There is a rumor that there is OFFS likely also for four or five banks which are in the category, the government has to dilute equity as per and there is rumor that you may have to force to do a QIP also. So what is the upgrade between two?
Ashwani Kumar
See, as far as OFFS is concerned, we are not aware of any such development. What we have approached to the government is for approval of QIP, which we have got the approval in previous quarter and we have already gone ahead with the selection of VRLMs, the legal counsel, everything we have started meeting investors also last quarter also this quarter also we have met in the first week of January and we’ll continue this journey after these results also and hopefully anytime after these results will come for QIP.
Sushil Choksey
Okay, sir. Thank you and good luck on the same.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. As there is no further question, I hand over the call to MD sir for his closing remarks.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you. Thank you all the analysts and investors for taking interest and sparing time to attend the post-results call with the investors. And we have given a guidance on various parameters and we will try to make sure that we achieve our guidance whatever we have given. And as we have been improving our performance in various parameters on a quarter-on-quarter basis. Our team will continue to improve on all those parameters regularly and try — we’ll try our level best to give the best of the results on a quarterly basis. Thank you very much.
Unidentified Speaker
Thank you. Concludes your earnings calls. Thank you for joining.
Ashwani Kumar
Thank you. Thank you.