As per the revised review of regulatory framework for Housing finance companies (HFCs), HFCs accepting public deposits must obtain a credit rating at least once per year. What is the minimum acceptable rating to remain eligible for accepting public deposits?

Read the following passage and answer the following question. Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have seen significant regulatory changes over the past decade. Following the transfer of HFC regulation from the National Housing Bank (NHB) to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2019, the regulatory landscape has focused on aligning HFCs with the broader NBFC regulatory framework. Recent changes include tighter liquidity management rules, new norms for deposit-taking entities, and restrictions on exposure to capital markets. These reforms aim to enhance financial stability and ensure that both HFCs and NBFCs adhere to similar prudential standards. In particular, deposit-taking HFCs are now required to maintain a higher proportion of liquid assets and adhere to stricter credit rating criteria. Additionally, HFCs involved in public deposit acceptance are mandated to implement more stringent controls around asset cover and deposit ceiling limits.