Name any three special financial institutions and state their objectives.
(i) Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI): It was established in July 1948 as a statutory corporation under the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948. Its objective include assistance towards balanced regional development and eccouraging new entrepreneurs to enter into the priority sectors of the economy. IFCI has also contributed to the development of management education in the country.
(ii) State Financial Corporations (SFCs): State Financial Corporations are established by the State Governments under the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 for providing medium and short-term finance to industries which are outside the scope of the IFCI. Its scope is wider than IFCI as it covers not only public limited companies but also private limited companies, partnership firms and proprietary concerns.
(iii) Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC): LIC was set up in 1956 under the LIC Act 1956 after nationalising 245 existing insurance companies. It mobilises savings in the form of insurance premium and makes it available to industrial concerns in the form of direct loans and underwriting of subscription to shares and debentures.