The Finance Ministry has asked public sector banks to limit the amount of loan write-offs and sought details of recoveries made by them in the six years ending 2011-12 with an aim to improve the finances of PSU lenders. It has also asked the banks to ensure that the amount written off by banks as bad loans does not exceed the cash recovery made during the year. In a recent communication to the heads of all public sector banks, the Finance Ministry said, in case there is more write off than the recovery made by the bank in a given year, the reasons for the same may also be provided to the Ministry. Concerned over the rising bad loans, Finance Minister P Chidambaram in a review meeting with PSU bank chiefs earlier this month had asked them to take firm steps against affluent promoters to recover loans from sick companies owned by them. The warning comes in the backdrop of several companies unable to repay bank loans on time.