Reserve bank announced a 25 basis point cut in the interest rate, in line with the long standing demand of the union finance ministry that interest rate should be cut to encourage economic growth. The marginal cut is neither here nor there in encouraging growth as the extent of the cut is too small. But the cut in interest rate when economy is not doing badly and inflation rate is higher than targeted level, smacks of conformity with government demand.

In his first post policy press conference, Dr Urjit Patel, rather made an anemic opening comment, read out from a prepared text holding no major observations at all. As for the policy itself, it was a departure from the past as the policy decision on interest rate fixation was no longer the executive fiat of the governor. It was decided by a six member monetary policy committee (MPC), of which three were external members.

Unlike previously the governor’s press conference was over in a jiffy in hardly twenty minutes, without too much questioning or observations on broader themes or global references.

In sharp contrast, it may be recalled that the former governor, Rajan, had gone out of his way to express RBI’s independence to the extent of observing once that RBI could not play the role of a cheerleader for the government in its efforts to present the picture of a buoyant economy. Rajan had also observed in a press interview that too much of boasting about India’s high growth rate when rest of the world was stagnating, was like the Hindi proverb “andho me kano raja”.

The government surely can now sleep quietly about RBI, going by the behavior of the new RBI. The government has scuttled the role of the governor in formulating monetary policy through instituting the MPC. This might be in line with global practices when all the major central banks, from the US Federal Reserve to the Bank of England, go by the verdict of a policy committee rather than an individual governor.

Perhaps the announcement of the re-jigging of the interest rate policy was the least part of the monetary policy statement. Dr Patel spoke of the issue of non-performing loans of commercial banks and reiterated the resolve to address the issue squarely. Dr Patel however stated that the resolution of the NPA problem would have to be with pragmatism than with a retributive zeal. This is also a departure.

He stated that the NPAs had risen over time and therefore should be treated in a way so that the productive sectors did not face shortage of credit. Dr Patel said that RBI was working with the government and the banks.

Dr Patel pointed out that 61 per cent of the bad loans with the banks were locked up in five sectors, namely, infrastructure, steel, textile, power and telecoms. All these sectors were core to the economy and sticky loans to the companies in these sectors would have to be handled so that the projects were not stalled. He assured that RBI will pursue the NPA issue and see to its successful conclusion.

Along with the policy statement, the RBI has announced measures for several key long-term reforms of the financial sector as well. These include certain critical reforms of the all India financial institutions. It is important to remember the all India financial institutions had been converted into commercial banks which had left a vacuum in the financial structure. The all India financial institutions would have larger capital bases in line with the Basel requirements.

Dr Patel had stated global threats to the present situation and threats posed by these. He referred to the policy stance of major central banks, including their policy to keep interest rates in the negative zones. These were leaving large imprints on the emerging market economies. He feared that in the World Bank IMF consultations in Washington this week, the global growth prospects could be further cut. (IPA Service)