Private sector lender Axis Bank has decided to continue rendering focus on lending to the small and medium scale enterprise (SME) segment. The bank aims to achieve around 25% growth in its loan book in the coming two years tenor.

Mr Rajendra D. Adsul, President, SME banking for the bank said that Axis Bank's present market share for SME segment stands at 5%.

Although rising interest rates are putting a crunch on the corporate as well as SME segment, Axis Bank is still not under any pressure in terms of SME clients, said Mr Adsul.

"We have not received requests for restructuring of loans from SMEs," he added.

Presently there are 32 SME centers and 6 SME cells of the bank.