I have a column When should a government agency have autonomy?, in the Financial Express today. This is a hot subject in India today, in the aftermath of the ULIPs ordinance. While on this subject, also see:
- An editorial in Mint.
- Tamal Bandyopadhyay in Mint.
- Gautam Chikermane in the Hindustan Times.
- Jayanth Varma in the Financial Express.
- K. P. Krishnan in the Economic Times.
- Monika Halan in Mint.
- Monika Halan in Mint
- Monika Halan in Mint
One feature of the ULIPs crisis which has not been widely appreciated is the role of the banks. While much opprobrium has been directed at insurance companies and insurance agents (both individuals or specialised financial distribution companies), banks are big players in selling insurance products. Their misconduct in selling represents a failure of RBI supervision. Most major banks are part of this scandal. The few customers who have protested have been sorted out, with a no-media clause in the resolution agreement that prevents the story from getting out.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteYou have rightly observed that "banks are big players in selling insurance products. Their misconduct in selling represents a failure of RBI supervision. Most major banks are part of this scandal."
Recently my sister wanted to take a bank locker (in a PSU bank) and was told that she will have to take a ULIP policy. It seems the bank manager refused to take FDs and insisted on only ULIPs. Somehow due to discomfort with ULIPs, my sister has dropped the plan to take bank locker.
I wonder why customers/potential customers should be forced to opt for some financial product much against their wishes.
I wish it would be more transparent if the bank substantially hikes the locker charges instead of keep the locker charges low (and trying to earn extra income by way of selling ULIPs etc).
Regards.
- Dilip, Mumbai.
In modern era, it seems that the most corrupt sector is private financial sector. Check out the salaries and additional bonuses that they get in this sector.
ReplyDeleteThey take money from peoples and instead of investing that money in most productive sectors and gving them returns, they took the big chunk of that money via commisions and credit their own account in the form of fat salaries and bonuses.
Even the people working in back end IT division are earning handsome salaries relative to his IT batchmates in other sectors and even the work in financial sector is just low end applications/mainenance (and salaries are big Wow).
Historically, last couple years should be most pathetic in whole century when the most corrupt ppls were bailed out by the govt's and instead of learning any lesson, they are making more dumb laws.
I agree with the point on corruption. Either way place a very significant effect on the economy. While most people are getting on the low side because of the financial crisis, those money hackers are just enjoying with their life at the expense of economic recession. While many are starving, those sectors are eating what is practically for the whole nation.
ReplyDelete