Good evening, everyone. My name is Jill Devi prasad, and I'm the Head of Investment at Jio Financial Services Limited. On the declaration of the results for the year ended March 31, 2024 of the company, it gives me immense pleasure to welcome the analysts, investors, and our colleagues to this virtual meeting. We have with us today our MD and CEO, Mr. Hitesh Sethia, and our Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Charanjit Attra. In this call, all participants will be in a listen-only mode. The earnings presentation is uploaded on our website, www.jfs.in, and on the stock exchanges. Before I hand over the call, I would like to read out the safe harbor statement. Certain statements are forward-looking in nature. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.
Actual outcomes may vary materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors. I will now hand over the call to Hitesh to discuss the business in detail.
Thank you, Jill, and good evening, everyone. A very warm welcome to all of you on this call. Let me begin with a recap of an eventful first year of Jio Financial Services Limited, in which we laid the foundation blocks for the business build out while we got listed on the stock exchanges simultaneously. The demerger of JFS from Reliance Industries Limited, which was announced in November 2022, culminated in the listing of JFS on BSE and NSE in August 2023. As a part of the demerger, JFSL, as a holding company and the four customer-facing entities, amongst others, were demerged. That is an NBFC, a payment bank, a payment aggregator, and an insurance broking entity. The latter three were operating while the NBFC had yet to commence operations prior to the demerger.
While the demerger was underway, people, process, and systems were set up at the holding company and at the NBFC ground up. The business models and technology stack of the three operating entities were reimagined and transformed in parallel to ensure that a strong foundation for scale and profitability is established. Further, a robust governance, risk, and compliance framework were also set up across the group. A uniform and fit-for-purpose technology stack for all support and control functions across JFSL entities have also been implemented during this period. Now, during this entire setup and team build out, the management team has remained observant about the rapidly evolving market developments and took a risk-calibrated approach to fast-track our secured lending products as the focus for our NBFC.
While the demerged businesses were being set up and re-reimagined, new businesses were also being conceptualized during this period, primarily to the asset management company and the leasing business. In July 2023, as you may all know, we had announced a 50/50 JV with BlackRock to foray into our asset management business. Earlier this week, we were happy to inform you all that we had expanded the partnership with BlackRock to include wealth management and broking business as well. The operating lease business was also conceptualized during this period as an additional business line to offer embedded financing solutions for home digital devices, with a view to enhance affordability of such devices for our consumers. Our approach overall is to offer embedded and digital products to our customers. Towards this, a unified app is being developed and will be launched shortly for our customers.
Let me now begin with the business updates, starting with our NBFC and our leasing subsidiary. With the foundational work done over the last few months, Jio Finance Limited, our NBFC, is well positioned to capture the lending market opportunity by adopting a digital-first business model to cater to consumers and businesses. The portfolio is being built out with due consideration to customer risk profile and business dynamics. In the past quarter, the supply chain financing solution for businesses have been launched. Products, including loan against mutual fund, home loan, and loan against property are in our pipeline. On the leasing front, Jio Leasing Services Limited will offer operating lease solutions to consumer and businesses under what we call a device-as-a-service model. This model involves embedding a leasing solution along with installation, maintenance, and/or support of such digital equipments as air fiber, laptops, television, et cetera.
This model not only enhances affordability for our consumers, but also increases operating efficiencies for our leasing business line. Moving forward onto our payment bank and payment solution subsidiaries. Jio Payments Bank Limited provides digital banking solution to consumers and small businesses. The services offered include savings account with debit cards and a host of consumer payment solutions such as UPI, Aadhaar-enabled payment services, domestic money remittances, et cetera. The business is being driven by garnering customer deposits and facilitating daily banking needs at a low cost with a digital native approach. Customers in this bank are acquired and serviced digitally and through a network of about 2,500 business correspondents as on date. In the past quarter, the bank has revamped its digital savings account offerings and also launched virtual debit cards, leading to a rapid increase in the number of customers acquired.
In the coming quarters, we expect to ramp up our business correspondent touchpoints to facilitate further growth. Jio Payment Solutions Limited is our payment aggregator business, which helps merchants grow their business by giving them solutions to accept payments across various consumer touchpoints. The customer segments served includes merchants, retail consumer merchants, enterprise merchants, retail merchants, and delivery merchants. Merchants will be able to access a full suite of payment products, including in-store solutions, such as QR codes and point-of-sale devices, and online solutions, which includes our all-in-one payment gateway infrastructure, which has comprehensive payment options. The business growth here, we believe, is being driven by strategic and technology tie-ups with banks, large enterprises, and creating a low-cost digital distribution architecture. In the last year, the subsidiary has successfully launched a pilot of the Jio VoiceBox for its merchant customers.
Moving on to our insurance subsidiary. Jio Insurance Broking Limited distributes insurance products of multiple insurance companies across the country digitally. The product portfolio is comprehensive and includes fire and property insurance for businesses and extended warranty, life, health, and motor insurance for our consumers. The business growth is primarily being driven by strategic partnerships to facilitate embedded insurance, direct digital approach to customers, and large enterprise relationships. In the last year, we've continued to expand the partnership suite for our insurance broking entity and have increased the number of insurance company tie-ups to 29 insurance companies as of March 31, 2024. The insurance subsidiary has also launched embedded insurance for white goods and bespoke sachet products, which are sold at the point of sale in the customer journey. Furthermore, an institutional sales division has also been set up in the last year in this subsidiary.
Next is an update on our asset management company. The operationalization of the joint venture with BlackRock, which we had announced in July 2023, is progressing well with ongoing setup of systems, infrastructure, and people recruitment, including the leadership team recruitment. The regulatory process for requisite approvals is also underway. As mentioned earlier, only last week, we had announced that the scope of the JV has been expanded now to include wealth management and broking business. The launch of these additional business lines is subject to regulatory and statutory approvals. Now, I would like to talk about what we believe are our strengths and right to win. JFS will leverage best-in-class, cost-effective, modern back-end and front-end technology stack. We continue to derive benefit from the fact that we do not have any legacy technology. Our distribution approach will be direct to customers.
Finally, we will leverage three important datasets. That is the credit bureau data, data from the Account Aggregator, and alternate data to aid in contextualizing offers to our customers and providing early warning signals. From a risk management perspective, necessary frameworks and rule engines have been implemented. The framework is continuously being enhanced with machine learning models to ensure better customer selection within defined risk appetite for each business lines. Amongst other aspects, we believe that as Jio Financial Services Limited, we are endowed with three important things that are necessary to build a robust business at scale. Number one, the Jio brand. Number two, capital. And number three, customer adjacency from our ecosystem.
With the ongoing build-out of digital, intuitive, and simple product offerings across the various business lines, which we've spoken about earlier, we believe that these three key strengths will provide a very strong impetus for sustainable growth in times to come. Our core principles for building out all these businesses remain unwavering. Number one, reputation above all. Number two, regulatory adherence in letter and spirit, given that we are a multi-regulated group. Number three, return of capital. And number four, return on capital. We will continue to build on the strength of brand, capital, and the wonderful team that we are putting together.... We are committed to enhancing accessibility, affordability, and prosperity for our customers by simplifying financial services. The foundational work sets a base to capture the vast addressable opportunity across the spectrum of financial services.
That is, lending, investments, payment, and insurance solution against the backdrop of a strong and vibrant economy. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all my JFS colleagues who have, with utmost dedication, spent the last year setting vital foundation blocks for the various businesses that we've spoken about. I would also like to thank all our shareholders for your continued faith and support to us. Now, I would like to hand over the call to my colleague and our Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Charanjit Attra, to take you through our financial performance. Charanjit, over to you.
Thank you, Hitesh, and good evening, everyone. I'm pleased to present to you the financial highlights of our first annual results as a listed company. The financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, are prepared under Indian Accounting Standards , as prescribed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. As you may be aware, Jio Financial Services has submitted an application for conversion of the company from an NBFC to a core investment company, in accordance with the approval given by the Reserve Bank of India pursuant to the demerger. The company is a holding company and consolidates the results of its various businesses. This includes the consumer-facing entities, namely Jio Finance Limited, Jio Insurance Broking Limited, Jio Payment Solutions Limited, Jio Payments Bank Limited, and Jio Leasing Services Limited. Further, the consolidated financial statements also include the results of two more entities.
Firstly, Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings Limited, which is an investment holding company, accounted for on a fully consolidated basis. And secondly, Reliance Services and Holdings Limited, which has been accounted for as an associate. Furthermore, during the year, JFS, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Jio Leasing Services Limited, established a ship leasing business in GIFT City. This is a 50/50 JV called Reliance International Leasing IFSC Limited, with Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited. The above legal entities are effectively managed by independent boards with a robust governance structure. As a part of the governance framework, the company has put in place comprehensive group-level compliance, audit, and risk functions for effective monitoring. In addition, our endeavor is to optimize the cost-to-income ratios across entities by leveraging technology and efficient use of resources.
Technology plays a vital role, not only in the businesses, as mentioned by Hitesh, but also across all governance, control, and support functions. We will continue to invest in emerging technologies such as AI and ML, to drive innovation and optimize all internal processes. Moving on to the financial performance. Since the appointed date of the merger was the closing business of March 31, 2023, the profit and loss account for the year ending 31st March 2024 was the first year of the company owning and managing the assets and liabilities that were transferred as a result of the demerger. Accordingly, the financial results of FY 2024 includes the income and expenses on the assets and liabilities for the entire year.
For FY 2024, our consolidated profit after tax stood at INR 1,605 crore, as compared to INR 31 crore for the year ended March 31, 2023, primarily due to increase in total income and increase in the share of net profit from the associates. The total income is represented by interest income on investments, dividend on investments, realized gains on sale of investments, and unrealized gains on changes in the fair value of investments. This has been offset by increase in the total expenses, represented by staff expenses and other operating overheads, reflecting a general increase in the business.
The standalone profit after tax for the company for FY 2024 was INR 383 crore, as compared to INR 31 crore for the year ended March 31, 2023, primarily due to increase in total income, represented by interest income, realized gains on sale of investments, and unrealized gains on changes in fair value of investments, offset by increase in total expenses, representing increase in staff cost and other operating overheads, in line with the setting up of the business operations of the company.
The total income in the consolidated profit and loss account increased from INR 44 crore to INR 1,855 crore, primarily due to the following: Increase in interest income in the standalone profit and loss account, and interest income on fixed deposits in the wholly owned subsidiaries to INR 938 crore in FY 2024, as compared to INR 38 crore in FY 2023. Dividend income amounting to INR 217 crore on shares held by our subsidiaries, which was transferred pursuant to the demerger of the company. Fees and commission income amount 152 crore in FY 2024, representing fee income from our subsidiaries, primarily in the insurance and the payment aggregator businesses.
The total expense, excluding impairment in the consolidated profit and loss account, increased from INR 6 crore to INR 325 crore, primarily due to the following: Staff cost of INR 116 crore in FY 2024, reflecting the cost of employees of the company and its subsidiaries in FY 2024, and increase in other operating expenses to INR 209 crore in FY 2024, as compared to INR 5.56 crore in FY 2023, representing the first year of business operations post the demerger. It also includes the expenses of three operating entities that were demerged and have been fully transformed, and now are well-positioned for increased and sustainable growth.
Further, increase in certain realized and unrealized gains on certain money market instruments, classified as fair value through profit and loss account to INR 547 crore in FY 2024, as compared to INR 3 crore in FY 2023, resulting out of the treasury activities undertaken by the company and its subsidiaries on certain money market instruments transferred to the company and its subsidiaries as a result of the demerger. The consolidated profit after tax for the quarter ended March 2024, was at INR 311 crore, as compared to INR 294 crore for the quarter ended 31st March 2023, primarily due to increase in total income and increase in the share of net profit from associates.
The total income is represented by interest income on investments, dividend on investments, realized gains on sale of investments, and unrealized gains or changes in the fair value of investments. This is offset by increase in total expenses, marginally, represented by staff expenses and other operating expenses, reflecting a general increase in the business of the company. Now, moving on to the balance sheet items. The company's consolidated net worth stood at INR 139,148 crore at the end of March 31, 2024.
The company's total assets included 41.28 crore equity shares of Reliance Industries Limited, represented by 24.09 crore equity shares, representing 3.56% of Reliance Industries Limited, held by Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings Limited, and 17.19 crore equity shares, representing 2.54% of Reliance Industries Limited, held by Reliance Services and Holdings Limited. The company has also made two equity investments during the year. INR 40 crore in its subsidiary, Jio Leasing Services Limited, for its leasing business, and INR 4 crore in Jio Payments Bank Limited, thereby increasing our holding from 76.98% to 77.25%. Moving on to the standalone profit and loss account.
The total income in the standalone profit and loss account increased from INR 44 crore to INR 639 crore, primarily due to the following: Increase in interest income on fixed deposits and certain money market instruments in FY 2024, as compared to the earlier year, which was transferred to the company as a result of the demerger. Increase in certain realized and unrealized gains on certain money market instruments, classified as fair value through profit and loss account to INR 255 crore in FY 2024, as compared to INR 3 crore in FY 2023, resulting out of the treasury activities undertaken by the company on certain money market instruments transferred to the company as a result of the demerger.
Similarly, the total expense, excluding impairment in the standalone profit and loss account, increased to INR 117 crore from INR 6 crore, primarily due to the following: Staff cost of INR 43 crore in FY 2024, reflecting the cost of employees hired by the company in FY 2024, and increase in other operating expenses to INR 74 crore in the current year, as compared to INR 6 crore in FY 2023, representing the first year of business operations for the demerger. Similarly, the standalone profit after tax for the quarter ended 31st March 2024, was INR 78 crore, as compared to INR 71 crore for the quarter ended 31st December 2023. This was primarily due to increase in the total income.
The total income is represented by interest income on investments, realized gains on sale of investments, and unrealized gains on changes in the fair value of investments. Further, the increase in total income was offset by increase in total expenses, a marginal increase, though, which is represented by staff expenses and other operating overheads, reflecting a general increase in the business. The company's standalone net worth stood at INR 24,437 crore as of 31st March 2024. With this, I would like to hand over the call back to Jill. Thank you so much.
Thank you both for the presentation, and thank you everyone for joining this call. Again, our earnings presentation is uploaded on our website, www.jfs.in, and the stock exchanges. On behalf of JFSL, this concludes our earnings call. You may now disconnect your line.