RBI governor Raghuram Rajan meets Narendra Modi
Ahead of monetary policy review on Tuesday, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan on Sunday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is likely to have discussed the macro-economic situation and issues related to price rise.
The RBI’s bi-monthly policy review on 3 June will be the first after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office on 26 May. Last week, Rajan also met the newly appointed finance minister Arun Jaitley and had said fighting price increase is a priority, stressing that the central bank has always maintained a balance between the need to check inflation and prop up growth.
“Governor of the RBI Raghuram Rajan called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at 7, Race Course Road today (Sunday). It was a courtesy call,” an official statement said.
India’s economic growth stayed below 5% for the second year in a row at 4.7% in 2013-14. Growth remained subdued at 4.6% in the fourth quarter. The RBI may leave key interest rates unchanged in its 3 June monetary policy review as Rajan is likely to prefer containing stubborn inflation before conceding to demands for a rate cut to boost growth.
“RBI is likely to maintain status quo as inflation is still high and the threat of monsoon being weak this time is looming large,” Indian Overseas Bank chairman and managing director M. Narendra told PTI.
Rajan had kept the policy rate unchanged at 8% in its 1 April review as inflation, especially of food items, hovered at over 8%. Food inflation in April stood at 9.66% and retail inflation was at 8.59%.
The RBI’s bi-monthly policy review on 3 June will be the first after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office on 26 May. Last week, Rajan also met the newly appointed finance minister Arun Jaitley and had said fighting price increase is a priority, stressing that the central bank has always maintained a balance between the need to check inflation and prop up growth.
“Governor of the RBI Raghuram Rajan called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at 7, Race Course Road today (Sunday). It was a courtesy call,” an official statement said.
“RBI is likely to maintain status quo as inflation is still high and the threat of monsoon being weak this time is looming large,” Indian Overseas Bank chairman and managing director M. Narendra told PTI.
Rajan had kept the policy rate unchanged at 8% in its 1 April review as inflation, especially of food items, hovered at over 8%. Food inflation in April stood at 9.66% and retail inflation was at 8.59%.
