LIC seeking access to RBI's debt database CRILICS

Mumbai: Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) chairman Siddhartha Mohanty on Thursday said the state-owned insurer is "in active discussion" with the Reserve Bank of India and confident of getting access to central bank's debt database CRILICS.

"It's an irony that despite being the largest debt investor, we don't have access to debt or the national debt database CRILICS. We are in active discussion with the regulator for the same and are confident of getting that access," Mohanty said at an economic conclave organised by SBI here.

Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILICS) is an RBI-run database of credit exposures of various lenders including those towards non-performing borrowers.

Most of LIC's debt investments are in central as well as state governments' debt securities.

The LIC chairman said that not having access to CRILICS data is a risk for the insurer as its liabilities are long-term while assets are short-term.

The lack of access to CRILICS tilts the balance negatively towards LIC, Mohanty said, adding that he is optimistic that the central bank will allow the much-needed access to this database as the discussions with the regulator has been smooth and positive so far.

When asked about LIC's exposure towards non-government securities and state bonds, he said that the company has over Rs 3 lakh crore of exposure to corporate debt. While the insurance company's equity exposure is over Rs 10.5 lakh crore, its total investments are over Rs 45 lakh crore.