GST, note ban have the potential to transform the economy: RBI governor

02 Jan 2017 Evaluate

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel, in his foreword to the half-yearly Financial Stability Report (FSR) December 2016, has stated that the nationwide goods and services tax (GST) and legislation of bankruptcy code should impart resilience to the economy. He also said that demonitisation of high value currency notes have the potential to transform the economy. 

On the positive impact of demonitisation, Patel has said that the withdrawal of specified bank notes (SBNs) will have far reaching changes towards a transformative effect on the domestic economy going forward. He also said that the increasing adoption of digital modes of payments will lead to greater intermediation, efficiency gains, accountability and transparency. Further, raising anxieties about stress in the banking sector, he said that the stress shown by the domestic banking system is partly reflective of legacy issues but enhanced transparency has helped to reinforce the stability of India's financial system.

According to the RBI data of the financial sector, business growth for banks remained subdued, and public-sector lenders continued to lag their private-sector peers, with profit contracting in the first half of 2016-17. It stood at 9.1 per cent in September, against 7.8 per cent in March 2016. Also, banks’ bad loans were pushing overall stressed advances ratio to 12.3 per cent from 11.5 per cent.

The governor further said that the global financial crisis has prompted regulators to require banks to undertake stress tests to see if their risk appetite matches their risk taking capacity. He also explained that the asset quality review of Indian banks and the subsequent corrective actions are steps in this direction. Overall, he said that there is little room for complacency and it is important to guard against sporadic volatility in financial markets.

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