In a bid to check inflation, the Reserve Bank of India today raised the repo rate and the reverse repo rate by 50 basis points, each. Announcing its annual credit policy, the Reserve Bank increased its repo rate, or its short-term lending rate to commercial banks to 7.25 per cent, and its reverse repo rate, or short-term borrowing rate from commercial banks, to 6.25 per cent. But the RBI kept the Bank Rate and the Cash Reserve Ratio unchanged. The RBI also pegged its GDP growth outlook for the current fiscal at 8 per cent, against the government's projection of 9 per cent. The apex bank has pegged the March 2012 inflation at 6 per cent. RBI Governor D. Subbarao said bringing down inflation, even at the cost of some growth in the short-run, should take precedence.The RBI, however, gave some relief to general depositors by increasing the savings bank rate to 4 per cent, from 3.5 per cent. The apex bank also made a strong case for increasing domestic petroleum product prices, in line with global crude oil prices.
News On AIR | May 3, 2011 1:51 PM
RBI raises short term lending & borrowing rate to check inflation