Mumbai: RBI, which has begun exiting the easy money policy, Tuesday said it found supporting growth without compromising financial stability a challenge, even as the government continues to be cautious about ending stimulus.
An end to easy money policy could lead to higher cost of funds, which could hurt investments and stunt growth.
"For the Reserve Bank, the challenge is to support the recovery process without compromising factors like the financial stability of economy," RBI Deputy Governor Shymala Gopinath said at an IBA-organised seminar here.
In the short term, exiting from the monetary stimulus, managing the capital flows and revival of domestic demand and consumption would also throw challenges to the policymakers, Gopinath said.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that the government would continue fiscal stimulus announced last year till the global economy shows firm signs of recovery.
RBI, however, in its quarterly monetary policy review October 27 announced its first step towards exiting the accommodative monetary policy.
The government's stimulus measures have resulted in fiscal deficit ballooning to 6.8 per cent of GDP this fiscal.
Gopinath said fiscal consolidation is likely to pose a major challenge for the government on its road to recovery, but as such the current account and fiscal deficits were
manageable.
Moving ahead, India is facing challenge of upturn in inflation, which has started inching up after remaining many weeks at sub-zero level, Gopinath said.
While India's banking sector continues to be sound in terms of capital adequacy, there is a need to assess the build up of macro-prudential risks in the system, she said.
The central bank is also of the view that leveraging of non-banking finance companies should be brought under close watch as systematically important institutions play a key
Role in the financial system.
Gopinath said the apex bank is closely watching the liquidity conditions in the system and will ensure adequate cash in the banking system.
"We are closely monitoring the liquidity situation. Depending on whatever is needed, we will take action," Gopinath said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 15:32