OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2009. Geography of RBD’s SME Lending Support Program (“Refunding” Program) is being extended. As early as today the Program covers 94% of Russia’s member entities, reported the press-centre of RBD.

The “Refunding” Program has been implemented by RBD since 19 June of the current year. Over a short period of implementation significant advances have been made. As of December 1, 2009 lending limits for 76 banks have been established and the quotas have been allocated for 72 banks in 78 regions, the total amount of which was over RUR 16 billion. At that the loan agreements were signed with 45 federal and regional banks for a total amount of RUR 13.5 billion. Partner banks have already started lending to small and medium-sized enterprises using RBD’s resources.

In the area of SME lending through SME infrastructure support entities as of 1 December, 2009 RBD has signed agreements with 10 leasing companies, 2 micro-finance organizations, 3 regional SME support funds and a factoring company for a total amount of RUR 2.91 billion, over a thousand of SMEs have already received loans.