REC's Rs 4,500 cr tax-free bond issue to open on Dec 3

State-run power sector lender Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) today said its public issue of tax-free bonds aimed at raising up to Rs 4,500 crore will open for subscription on December 3.

The issue will close on December 10.

"Our target is to raise Rs 4,500 crore from public. It would be first tax-free bond this fiscal in which upper investment limit for retail investors has been hiked up to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 5 lakh earlier," REC Director (Finance) Ajeet Agarwal told reporters here.

"The proceeds shall be utilised for normal lending operations of REC in the power sector and infrastructure projects to augment resource base of the company," he said.

Retail investors will get 50 basis points higher return compared to other categories like QIB, HNI and corporates, Agarwal said.

The secured redeemable non-convertible bonds of Rs 1,000 each will be offered in two series - with coupon rate of 7.72 per cent and 7.88 per cent in series-I (10 years) and series-II (15 years), respectively, to retail investors.

The minimum application for subscription in retail segment is of Rs 5,000 with an upper limit of Rs 10 lakh, he said, ading "40 per cent of the issue is reserved for retail participation."

The company, which has the government mandate to raise Rs 5,000 crore through tax-free bonds, netted Rs 500 crore through private placement on November 21.

"REC's average cost of borrowing is around 8.15 per cent, while the effective yield on loans averages out to be 11.69 per cent," Agarwal said.

REC's networth at end of September 30, 2012 stood at Rs 16,576 crore. The company reported a profit of Rs 1,800 crore in first six months of the current fiscal.

The company's net interest margin for first six months in this fiscal stood at 2.32 per cent. Net NPA was at 0.38 per cent at the end of September 30.

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