Piramal Enterprises Limited announced to start lending to smaller corporate groups, form a joint venture platform for slum redevelopment investments, lend to new sectors and begin housing finance operations in four months' time. It will focus on emerging corporate lending, for transactions of INR 300-900 million, similar to lending to small and medium enterprises (SME), a segment it hasn't tapped so far. Its new housing finance business, where 70-75% of its lending book will offer housing finance to individuals and the rest will comprise of construction loans of up to INR 500 million to small developers. Under the real estate investment business, the company is at an advanced stage of forming a joint venture with another investor to do equity and structured lending deals in slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai.