Silver line on gold horizon
January
22, 2016
Silver
line on gold horizon
This refers to the report
“RBI simplifies gold monetisation scheme” (Business Standard, January 22). The
quick response from GOI and RBI to stakeholders’ sentiments make the chances of survival and success of
the three gold schemes under implementation (Sovereign Gold Deposit Scheme,
Gold Monetisation Scheme and Gold Coin Scheme) brighter. After decades of
hesitant approach to gold management, India is now exhibiting the country’s
determination to exploit the past savings idling in the lockers of families,
institutions and religious centres, and bring them to the mainstream economy.
This approach is
consistent with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s observation in Davos that
accumulated savings idling as ‘reserves’ with PSUs should be ploughed back and
utilised for public benefit. Once this principle is accepted at the highest
level, policy formulation is just a ‘matter of details’. Read this with Thomas
Piketty’s call to the rich to open their wallets more to remove inequality. Can
we expect some fast moves across sectors to ensure distributive justice, beyond
CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) and doles to the poor?
Back on gold, Centre is
yet to institutionalise a system to manage country’s gold stock. Let us wait
for the Budget 2016-17, for a formal announcement on this.
M
G Warrier, Mumbai
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