Governor Raghuram Rajan doesn’t want to “spoil the fun” that the media is having speculating on an extended tenure for him at the helm of the Reserve Bank of India.

The genial RBI chief dealt with a question in this regard with wit, without disclosing his plans post-September 4.

Rajan said: “As far as the question of my continuing in this position after September 4 goes, it would be cruel of me to spoil the fun the press is having with all the speculation.

“I am personally intrigued by all the letters I am supposed to have written. Seriously, in all such cases, a decision is reached after discussion between the government and the incumbent. I am sure you would know when there is news. I cannot do better than point you to the statements of the Finance Minister and the PM on this. That is all I have to say.”

Rajan’s three-year tenure at the helm of the RBI comes to an end on September 4 and there is uncertainty on whether the government will grant him an extension.

Performance assessment When asked to make an assessment of what he has delivered on and what is his unfinished agenda, the RBI chief said: “I think if you look at what was listed in the initial plan, you will find that most of it has been delivered on.

“If you ask me what we need to do going forward, one is, of course, move inflation towards what the Urjit Patel committee report suggested and what is in our framework with the government, to a comfort level in the band — we are already in the band but (need to move) to a greater comfort level,” said Rajan.

And, two, the Governor said “is cleaning up bank balance sheets so that they can fund growth. That is extremely important. I think those are the big parts of the (short-term) agenda.”

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