To boost operational efficiency and respond to concerns raised by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), Sebi on Wednesday said it has introduced measures to speed up the availability of sale proceeds for such investors, bringing them on par with domestic institutional investors. It is broadly estimated that efficiency gains on account of this measure would be around Rs 2,000 crore per annum. FPIs previously reported delays in their access to sale proceeds beyond the standard 'T+1' (trading plus one) settlement date. These delays were primarily due to the erstwhile process adopted for obtaining tax clearance on their net sale proceeds, to ensure compliance with FEMA Regulations. To address this issue, Sebi engaged in consultations with key stakeholders, including FPIs, clearing corporations, custodians, and tax consultants. This collaborative effort led to significant process improvements, making sale proceeds available to FPIs on settlement day, and bringing them on par with domestic institutional participants.