ANDHRA PRADESH
MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS (REGULATION OF MONEY LENDING) ACT, 2011 THE ANDHRA PRADESH MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS (REGULATION OF MONEY
LENDING) ACT, 2011 [Act No. 1 of 2011] [1st January, 2011] AN ACT TO PROTECT THE WOMEN SELF HELP GROUPS FROM EXPLOITATION BY
THE MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AND FOR THE
MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO. Whereas, Government of
Andhra Pradesh has facilitated organization of the below poverty line
households into Self Help Groups (SHG) for the purpose of their economic
advancement by achieving financial inclusion through linking with the banking
network; And whereas the endeavor of
the State is to protect the interests of SHGs and relieve them from the undue
hardship by regulating money lending transactions by the money lending MFIs,
who are providing loans to SHGs with usurious interest rates and resorting to
coercive means of recovery resulting in impoverishment and at times leading to
suicides of the borrowers. Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of Andhra Pradesh in the Sixty first year of the
Republic of India as follows:- (1)
This Act may be called the Andhra Pradesh Micro Finance
Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Act, 2011. (2)
It extends to the whole of the State of Andhra Pradesh. (3)
It shall be deemed to have come into force with effect from the
15th October, 2010. (4)
It shall apply to Micro Finance Institutions whether they had come
into existence before or after the commencement of this Act. In this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires,- (a)
'Government' means the State Government of Andhra Pradesh; (b)
'Interest' for the purposes of the terms defined under the
provisions of this Act would mean, a return on the amount lent by the MFI to a
SHG; (c)
'Loan' means an advance whether of money or in kind given to the
borrowing SHG at interest, whether given before the commencement of this Act or
after such commencement and includes advance, discount, money paid for or on
account of or paid on behalf of or at the request of any person, or any account
whatsoever, and every agreement (whatever its terms or form may be) which is in
substance or effect a loan of money of in kind given to an SHG and further
includes, an agreement relating to the repayment of any such loan; (d)
'Micro Finance Institution (MFI)' means any person, partnership
firm, group of persons, including a Company registered under the provisions of
the Companies Act 1956(Central Act 1 of 1956), a Non-Banking Finance Company as
defined under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934(Central Act 2 of 1934), a
Society registered under the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act,
1964(Act 7 of 1964), or the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001(Act
35 of 2001) and the like, in whichever manner formed and by whatever name
called, whose principal or incidental activity is to lend money or offer
financial support of whatsoever nature to the below poverty line population; (e)
'Notification' means a notification published in the Andhra
Pradesh Gazette and the word 'notified' shall be construed accordingly; (f)
'Prescribed' means prescribed by rules made by Government under
this Act; (g)
'Registering Authority' means the Project Director, District Rural
Development Agency for the rural areas and Project Director, MEPMA or Urban
areas; or any other person appointed by the District Collector to perform the
functions of a registering authority under this Act for such District; (h)
Registration means registration granted to a MFI under this Act. (i)
'Self Help Group (SHG)' means a group of women formed on
principles of self help and registered as such with the Society for Elimination
of Rural Poverty (SERP) in the rural areas or Mission for Elimination of Urban
Poverty in Municipal areas (MEPMA) in urban areas; (j)
'SHG bank linkage' means provision of credit for the SHGs by the
commercial banks based on a micro credit plan prepared by the SHGs for carrying
out economic activities; (k)
'SHG Member' means a registered member of a SHG who intends to
avail a loan through such SHG and thus a borrower under the provisions of this
Act; (l)
'Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP)' is a Society
formed by Government for the purpose of implementing pro-poor initiatives and
thereby eliminating poverty in rual areas; (m)
'Society under Mission for eliminating poverty in municipal areas
(MEPMA)' is a Society formed by Government for the purpose of implementing
pro-poor initiatives and thereby eliminating poverty in urban areas; (n)
Words used but not defined in this Act, shall have the same
meaning assigned to them under the relevant Acts. (1)
Micro Finance Institutions operating in the State of Andhra
Pradesh as on the date of the commencement of this Act, shall within thirty
days from the date of commencement of this Act, apply for registration before
the Registering Authority of the district specifying therein the villages or
towns in which they have been operating or propose to operate, the rate of interest being charged or proposed
to be charged, system of conducting due diligence and system of effecting
recovery and list of persons authorized for conducting the activity of lending
or recovery of money which has been lent. (2)
No MFIs, operating at the commencement of this Act or intending to
start the business of lending money to SHGs, after the commencement of this
Act, shall grant any loans or recover any loans without obtaining registration
under this Act from the Registering Authority. (3)
The Registering Authority shall conduct verification of the
details furnished by the MFI and accord registration in such manner as may be
prescribed for operation of MFIs for a period of one year, after obtaining a
written undertaking from the MFI that it shall always act in conformity with
the provisions of this Act. (4)
Where the MFI applies for renewal of registration, an application
for that purpose shall be filed by the MFI within sixty days before the expiry
of the period of one year referred to in sub-section (3) and the Registering
Authority shall decide either to grant renewal or refuse renewal of
registration within fifteen days before the date of expiry of registration,
after due verification of the performance of the MFIs in the field level and
after hearing objections, if any, from the general public regarding extension
of Registration. (1)
Every registering authority shall maintain for the area under its
jurisdiction registers of all MFIs having valid registration in such form as
may be prescribed. (2)
The registers maintained under sub-section (1) shall be published
in such manner and at such intervals as may be prescribed. (1) The
Registering Authority may, at any time, either suo moto or upon receipt of
complaints by SHGs or its members or by members of the public cancel the
registration of an MFI after assigning sufficient reasons for such
cancellation: Provided that no order of
cancellation of the Registration shall be passed without issuing notice to the
MFI intimating the facts upon which the prima-facie diecision to cancel the
registration has been taken and the MFI shall be afforded a reasonable
opportunity to show cause against such notice. Explanation: For the
purposes of sub-section (1), conviction of a MFI for an offence of violation of
any of the provisions of this Act shall be suficient cause for suspension or
cancellation of its registration. (2) Pending
enquiry under sub-section (1), the Registering Authority may, for sufficient
reasons to be recorded, suspend the registration, of an MFI. No member of an SHG shall
be a member of more than one SHG, provided that where a member has, at the
commencement of this Act, become a member of more than one SHG, she shall have
the option to retain the membership of one SHG and to terminate her membership
in other SHGs and for that purpose, she shall issue a notice to such SHGs about
her option to terminate her membership, settle and pay the amount payable to
the MFIs which had lent monies to such SHGs, within a period of three months
from the date of commencement of this Act. No MFI shall seek any
security from a borrower by way of pawn, pledge or other security for the loan: Provided that any such
security obtained from a borrower before the commencement of this Act shall
forthwith stand released in favour of the borrower. (1)
All MFIs shall display the rates of interest charged by them in a
conspicuous place in their premises in bold letters visible to the members of
the public. (2)
No MFI shall charge any other amount from the borrower except any
charge prescribed in the rules for submission of an application for grant of a
loan. (1)
No MFI shall recover from the borrower towards interest in respect
of any loans advanced by it, whether before or after commencement of this Act,
an amount in excess of the principal amount. (2)
All loans in respect of which an MFI has realized from the
borrower, whether before or after commencement of this Act, an amount equal to
twice the amount of the principal, shall stand discharged and the borrower
shall be entitled to obtain refund and the MFI shall be bound to refund the
excess amount paid by the borrower. (1)
No MFI shall extend a further loan to a SHG or its members where
the SHG has an outstanding loan from a Bank unless the MFI obtains the prior
approval in writing in such manner as may be prescribed from the Registering
Authority after making an application seeking such approval. (2)
The Registering Authority while considering such application from
an MFI seeking approval as aforesaid, shall secure the following information in
writing from the MFI in regard to every member of SHG namely ;- (i)
name of the Borrower; (ii)
name of the SHG; (iii)
bank from which loan has been obtained by the SHG; (iv)
date of the loan granted by the bank; (v)
amount paid to the SHG by the bank; (vi)
amount due from the SHG; (vii)
fresh amount of loan sought by the SHG from the MFI; (viii)
terms of repayment proposed by the MFI; (ix)
details of due diligence including the capacity of the SHG for
repayment; and (x)
such other details as may be prescribed. (3)
The Registering Authority shall, not later than fifteen days from
the date of filing of such application for approval under sub-section (2),
cause an enquiry into the contents of the application and shall grant approval
for further loan unless the Registering Authority is satisfied that the SHG and
its members have passed a resolution that they have understood the conditions
of the loan and terms of repayment and unless the Registering Authority is also
satisfied that such further loan would generate additional income to the SHG
and its members, needed for servicing the debt. (4)
No MFI shall grant ban to a member of SHG during the subsistence
of two previous loans irrespective of the source of the previous two loans. (1)
All borrowings by a member of an SHG from an MFI shall be
contracted in the manner, form and format prescribed under the Act. (2)
Every MFI shall keep and maintain a cash book, a ledger and such
other books of account in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed. (3)
Every MFI shall,- (a)
deliver or cause to be delivered, to the borrower within seven
days from the date on which a loan is made, a statement in the prescribed form
showing in clear and distinct terms the amount and date of the loan and of its
maturity, the name and address of the functionary of the MFI and the effective
rate of interest charged; (b)
upon repayment of a loan in full, the MFI shall obtain an
indelible mark on every paper signed by the borrower with words indicating such
repayment and provide copies thereof to the borrower. (4)
No MFI shall receive any payment from a borrower on account of any
loan without giving him a duly signed receipt for the payment. (5)
An MFI shall, on a demand in writing by the borrower, supply a
copy of any document relating to a loan obtained by him, or if the borrower so
requires, to any person specified in that behalf in the demand: Provided that in respect of
loans given prior to the commencement of this Act, it shall be obligatory for
the lender to specify if any security was accepted from the borrower. (6)
All tranches of repayment shall be made by the SHG or its members
at the office of the Gram Panchayat or at a public place designated by the
District Collectors only. (7)
MFI shall not deploy any agents for recovery nor shall use any
other coercive action either by itself or by its agents for recovery of money
from the borrower; and any form of coercive recovery including but not limited
to visiting the house of the borrower shall, apart being punishable under the
provisions of the Act, empower the Registering Authority to suspend or cancel the license of such an MFI as
provided in section 5. Every MFI shall submit a
Monthly Statement to the Registering Authority before 10th day of every month
giving therein the list of borrowers, the loan given to each and the interest
rate charged on the repayment made. (1)
The Registering Authority or any officer authorised by him in this
behalf may, to verify whether the business of the MFI is being carried on in
accordance with the provisions of this Act, enter the premises of the MFI
office or of any person who in his opinion is carrying on the business of
lending and call upon him to produce any record or document relating to such
business and every such MFI shall allow such inspection and produce such record
or document. (2)
The Registering Authority may, for the purposes of sub-section
(1), search the premises and seize any record and document as may be necessary
and the record or document seized shall be retained only for such period as may
be necessary for the purposes of examination, prosecution or other legal
action: Provided that the
provisions of sections 100 and 102 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973(Central Act 2 of 1974) shall, so far as may be, apply to such search and
seizure. (3) The
registering authority or the other officer referred to in sub-section (1) shall
also have power to summon and examine the MFI or any person who in his opinion
is in a position to furnish relevant information. Any SHG or its members or
any member of the public can file a complaint regarding violation of the
provision of this Act by a MFI before the Registering Authority and the said Authority
shall enquire into the same after giving a reasonable opportunity to the MFI to
show cause and pass such orders as it may deem fit including an order under
section 5 of the Act. (1)
For the protection of debtors and for the settlement of disputes
of civil nature between the SHG or its members on the one hand and the MFI on
the other hand or between the members of the SHG and the SHG, in relation to
the loans granted under this Act to the SHG or its members, the State
Government after consultation with the High Court, and by notification,- (a)
shall, as soon as may be after the commencement of this Act,
establish for every district in the State a Fast-Track Court; (b)
may establish Fast-Track Court for such other areas in the State,
as it may deem necessary. (2)
The Government shall, after consultation with the High Court of
Andhra Pradesh specify, by notification, the local limits of the area to which
the jurisdiction of a Fast-Track Court shall extend and may, at any time,
increase, reduce or alter such limits. (3)
The cases that may be filed before the Fast-Track Court shall be
disposed of within a period of three months. (4)
The decree of the Fast Track Courts shall be liable to be executed
in accordance with the procedure under the Code of the Civil Procedure
1908(Central Act 5 of 1908). (1)
All persons who are connected with and responsible for the
day-to-day control, business and management of a MFI including the Partners,
Directors and the employees who resort to any type of coercive measures against
the SHGs or its members or their family members shall be liable for punishment of imprisonment which may extend up
to a period of three years or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees or
with both. Explanation:- For the
purposes of this section, "coercive action" by an MFI against the
SHGs or its members of their family members include the following,- (a)
obstructing or using violence to, insulting or intimidating the
borrower or his family members, or (b)
persistently following the borrower or his family member from
place to place or interfering with any property owned or used by him or
depriving him of, or hindering him in the use of any such property, or (c)
frequenting the house or other place where such other person
resides or works, or carries on business, or happens to be or (d)
doing any act calculated to annoy or intimidate such person or the
members of his family, or (e)
moving or acting in a manner which causes or is calculated to
cause alarm or danger to the person or property of such other person, or (f)
seeking to remove forcibly any document from the borrower which
entitles the borrower to a benefit under any Government programme: Provided that a person who
frequents the house or place referred to in clause (c) in order merely to
obtain or communicate information shall not be deemed to be using coercive
action. (2)
The MFI or the persons who use coercive actions as stated in sub section
(1) shall be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (3)
The provisions of the code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, shall, so
far as may be, apply to the proceedings before a Fast Track Court, and for the
purpose of the said provisions, a Fast Rrack Court shall be deemed to be a
Magistrate. All persons who are
connected with and responsible for the day-to-day control, business and
management of a MFI including the Partners and Directors of such MFI which
carries on the business of providing loans either without obtaining
registration of the MFI from the Registering Authority under section 3 or
extending a further loan without prior approval under sub-section (1) of section
10 of the Act or granting loan in violation of sub-section (4) thereof, shall
be liable for punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three
years and with fine which may extend to rupees one lakh. Any person who contravenes
any provision other than section 3 and section 16 of this Act, shall be
punishable with imprisonment for a period of six months or with fine which may
extend to ten thousand rupees or with both. Every officer of the
Government and every person acting under the provisions of this Act shall be
deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian
Penal Code, 1860. (1)
No suit, prosecution or other proceedings shall lie against any
officer or employee of the Government for any act done or purporting to be done
under this Act, without the previous sanction of the Government. (2)
No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall be
instituted against any person for anything which is, in good faith, done or
intended to be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder. If any difficulty arises in
giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by
notification remove difficulties by orders not inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act, but which appear to them to be necessary or expedient to remove
such difficulty. The Government may, from
time to time, issue such orders, instructions and directions not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder to the officers
for the proper administration of the Act, and such officers and all other
persons employed in the enforcement of the Act, shall comply with such orders,
instructions and directions. (1)
The State Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying
out the purposes of this Act. (2)
Every rule made under this Act shall, immediately after it is
made, be laid before the Legislature of the State, if it is in session and if
it is not in session, in the session immediately following for a total period
of fourteen days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive
sessions and if, before the expiration of the session in which it is so laid or
the session immediately following the Legislature agrees in making any
modification in the rule or in the annulment of the rule, the rule shall, from
the date on which the modification or annulment is notified, have effect only
in such modified form or shall stand annulled as the case may be so, however,
that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under the rule. The Government shall
prepare an annual report on the administration of this Act and the same shall
be placed before the State Legislature. The Andhra Pradesh Micro
Finance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Ordinance, 2010 is hereby
repealed.
Preamble - THE ANDHRA PRADESH MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTIONS
(REGULATION OF MONEY LENDING) ACT, 2011PREAMBLE