NEW DELHI : A day after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a ₹1.7 lakh crore package to combat the impact of the 21-day coronavirus lockdown, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das today cut interest rates by 75 basis points to 4.4%.
Highlights of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das’s address:
- RBI will continue to remain vigilant and take whatever steps are required to mitigate the impact of Covid-19
- 2.8 lakh crore liquidity measures taken.
- Reverse repo-rate reduced by 90 basis points to 4%
MPC has decided to cut the repo rate by 75 basis points to 4.4%. - CRR (cash reserve ratio) of all banks to be cut by 100 bps to 3%. It will provide liquidity of Rs 1.37 lakh crore.
- Financial markets are under stress; require steps by central bank for market stability and revival of economic growth.
- All banks and NBFCs are being permitted to allow a 3-month moratorium on payment of term loans: Das
- Outlook highly uncertain and negative in view of outbreak of Covid-19: Das
- Monetary policy committee refrains from giving out growth, inflation outlook for coming fiscal on uncertain outlook
- Food prices may soften further on back of record foodgrain production
- The outlook is now heavily contingent upon the intensity, spread & duration of the pandemic.
- There is a rising probability that large parts of the world will slip into recession
MPC noted that global economic activity has come to a near stand-still as COVID-19 related lockdowns and social distancing in affected countries. Expectations of a shallow recovery in 2020 from 2019’s decade low in global growth have been dashed: RBI Guv - Living in extraordinary situation; war effort needs to be mounted against coronavirus using conventional, unconventional tools
- Time has now come for the RBI to launch an array of arsenals to mitigate the impact of Covid-19
- Slump in crude oil prices could provide some relief.