Highlights of RBI monetary policy announcements

Mumbai: Following are the highlights of the RBI monetary policy announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday:

  1. Interest rates left unchanged for 4th time in a row;
  2. Short-term lending rate (repo) stands at 4 pc;
  3. RBI decides to continue with accommodative stance as long as necessary;
  4. RBI Guv says Indian economy is poised to move in only one direction and that is upwards;
  5. RBI projects GDP growth at 10.5 pc for 2021-22;
  6. RBI revises retail inflation outlook; 5.2 pc for Q4:2020-21, 5 pc in H1:2021-22 & 4.3 pc for Q3:2021-22;
  7. Guv Das says Union Budget has provided strong impetus for revival of sectors like health, infrastructure;
  8. RBI to restore CRR to 4 pc in two phases beginning March 2021;
  9. RBI proposes to provide funds from banks under TLTRO on Tap scheme to NBFCs for incremental lending;
  10. RBI announces new scheme to incentivise new credit flow to MSME;
  11. RBI to set up panel to provide a medium term road map for strengthening of Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks;
  12. Retail investors to get direct access to government securities market; with this India will join select countries providing such facility;
  13. Round-the-clock helpline for digital payment services to be set-up for grievance redressal;
  14. RBI will integrate all Ombudsman schemes & introduce centralised processing of grievances;
  15. Next meeting of the RBI Guv headed rate-setting panel MPC to take place during April 5 to 7.