Demonetisation and Reserve Bank of India
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/diary-of-an-unusual-year/article19576668.ece
Diary of an unusual year: Business Line
Demonetization
and RBI
Puja
Mehra’s brief article with focus on RBI governor Urjit Patel (Business Line, “Diary
of an unusual year”, August 29) gives us an opportunity to discuss once again
the mysteries surrounding demonetization announced by Prime Minister Modi on
November 8, 2016. That can wait release of RBI Annual Report 2016-17.
As
the measures taken by GOI and RBI post-demonetization have been widely debated
in the media, for now, let us restrict this discussion to certain
misunderstandings that may still remain after one goes through the article.
Economic
Survey 2016-17 carried some misleading observations like the following:
“Last
year’s Economic Survey had raised the issue of the government’s
excess capital in the RBI. That issue could become even more
salient this year because of demonetization…If there is a demonetisation
windfall - not included here - the RBI will stand out even more as an outlier
in terms of government capital in the central bank…The estimate for India
assumes, conservatively, no windfall from demonetisation. There is no
particular reason why this extra capital should be kept with
the RBI. Even at current levels, the RBI is already
exceptionally highly capitalized.”
Such
vague and lose observations in traditionally reliable documents and analysts
and media not taking cognizance of official positions taken by RBI on
demonetization (RBI had brought out a paper analyzing ‘impact of
demonetization’ which was placed in public domain) have done irreparable damage
to the reputation of Indian Financial System. It is convenient and easy to
isolate RBI or its Governor and quickly ‘fix’ responsibility, as Urjit Patel is
not Raghuram Rajan who almost kept giving online responses when allegations
were made against him or his policies.
M
G Warrier,
Mumbai
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