Policy rates should have been cut, say industry chambers

Our Bureau Updated - April 01, 2014 at 11:00 PM.

Tweaking policy rates downwards would have helped lift business sentiments, industry chambers said on Tuesday.

Chandrajit Banerjee, Director-General, CII, said: “At a time when growth impulses remain weak and WPI inflation has been on a declining trajectory for the last nine months, the RBI should have announced a cut in policy rates which would stimulate demand and kick-start the investment cycle.”

Assocham President Rana Kapoor said that as “subdued industrial activity continues to be a drag on the economy…. a boost to industrial demand by lower borrowing costs deserved consideration.”

Sidharth Birla, President, FICCI, said, “Relying primarily on monetary policy for inflation management may not be a comprehensive approach. There are administrative fixes and fiscal measures that need to be adopted.”

Published on April 1, 2014 17:30