Ujjivan Financial Services Limited (UFSL) is a Limited Company domiciled in India and incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956. The Company was registered as NBFC-MFI under Non-Ban
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king Financial Company Micro Finance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs) directions on September 05, 2013. The Company received approval from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a Small Finance Bank. Pursuant to the same, the company executed an agreement to transfer its Business undertaking to its wholly owned subsidiary Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited (the Bank). The bank commenced operations w.e.f 1st February 2017, on which date UFSL ceased to operate as a micro finance company. Pursuant to this change, UFSL surrendered its NBFC - MFI license and received approval and certificate of registration as NBFC-ND-SI-CIC (Core Investment Company ) from the RBI on October 10, 2017. Ujjivan Financial Services was one of the largest microfinance institutions in the country before it transferred its business undertaking to Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited.
Ujjivan's business is primarily based on the joint liability group lending model for providing collateral free, small ticket-size loans to economically active poor women. The company also offers individual loans to Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs). Ujjivan has adopted an integrated approach to lending, which combines a high customer touch-point typical of microfinance, with the technology infrastructure and related back-end support functions similar to that of a retail bank. This integrated approach has enabled it to manage increasing business volumes and optimize overall efficiencies.
Ujjivan offers a diverse range of loan products to cater to the specific requirements of the companies customers. The company's products can be classified under two broad categories, namely, Group Loans and Individual Loans. Depending upon the end use, these products can be further sub-divided into agricultural, education, home improvement, and home purchase and livestock loans.
The Company was originally incorporated as Ujjivan Financial Services Private Limited on December 28, 2004 at Bengaluru, Karnataka, India as a private limited company under the Companies Act, 1956. Pursuant to a certificate issued by the Reserve Bank of India ('RBI') on October 31, 2005, the Company was permitted to commence operations as a non-banking financial company (NBFC) under section 45 IA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Ujjivan started operations as an NBFC in 2005 with the mission of providing a full range of financial services to the economically active poor who are not adequately served by financial institutions.
Since financial year 2008-09, the Company has been classified as a systemically important non-deposit accepting NBFC. Pursuant to the RBI introduction of a new category of NBFC-Micro Finance Institution, the company was granted NBFC-Microfinance Institution ('NBFC-MFI') status by the RBI on September 5, 2013. On October 7, 2015, Ujjivan received an in-principle approval from the RBI to set up a small finance bank ('SFB').
The company was converted into a public limited company pursuant to a special resolution passed by its shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held on November 3, 2015 and the name of the company was changed to Ujjivan Financial Services Limited. A fresh certificate of incorporation consequent upon conversion to a public limited company was issued by the Registrar of Companies, Bangalore, Karnataka (ROC) on November 26, 2015. Subsequently, a fresh certificate of NBFC-MFI registration consequent upon the change of name of the Company was issued by the RBI on March 4, 2016.
Ujjivan Financial Services came out with its Initial public offer (IPO) of 42,023,609 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each for cash at a price of Rs. 210 per equity share (including a share premium of Rs. 200 per equity share) aggregating to Rs. 882.50 Crore comprising a fresh issue of 17,055,277 equity shares aggregating to Rs. 358.16 Crore by the company (fresh issue) and an offer for sale of 24,968,332 equity shares aggregating to Rs. 524.34 Crore by 8 selling shareholders. The Company's equity shares got listed on NSE and BSE on May 10, 2016.
The objects of the IPO inter alia was to augment the capital base of the company and to meet the future capital requirements of the company arising out of growth of the company's assets, primarily the company's loans and advances and other investments. Further, the company intended to reduce its foreign shareholding in accordance with the requirements of the RBI in-principle approval to set up the small finance bank (SFB).
The Company was converted from an NBFC-MFI to NBFC-Non Deposit taking Systematically Important Core Investment Company (NBFC-ND-SI-CIC) and received a fresh certificate of registration dated October 10, 2017 from the RBI; the conversion was done pursuant to the conditions prescribed by the RBI in their license letter dated November 11, 2016 for setting up a Small Finance Bank.
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited' (the wholly owned subsidiary of the Company) which commenced its small finance bank operations in February 2017 has been included in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 vide Official Gazette Notification on August 25, 2017. This has granted the Scheduled Bank' status to Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited' from the date of the notification.
During the financial year ended 31 March 2017, Ujjivan Financial Services opened 4 new branches in the year - 2 each in South and East and merged 32 branches for operational efficiency, taking the tally to 457 branches.
After the launch of banking operations on 6 February 2017, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank had 15 live branches operational as of March 31, 2017
FY 2017-18 has been a fruitful year for Ujjivan Financial Services, proving its resilience despite all challenges to overcome the huge impact of demonetization and at the same time systematically undertake the transformation to a Small Finance Bank.
During the financial year ended 31 March 2018, Ujjivan Financial Services' wholly owned subsidiary Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited (USFB) successfully emerged from shadows of demonetization, stabilized its business, stabilized portfolio quality and contained credit cost. During the year under review, the company repaid majority of legacy borrowing and reduced cost of funds from 10.4% to 9%. During the year under review, USFB rolled out 187 banking outlets including 47 in Unbanked Rural Centres (URCs). During the year under review, USFB expanded its non microfinance business viz. lending to Micro And Small Enterprises (MSE) and housing finance. During the year under review, USFB improved backend efficiencies and productivity.
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