TIMELINE: Changes to CRR since 1992

The Reserve Bank of India slashed the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for banks by 75 basis points in a surprise move on March 9, less than a week before its policy meeting, to help ease persistent tight cash condition in the banking system.

The RBI, however, left the policy lending rate, the repo rate unchanged at 8.5 percent. Consequently, the reverse repo rate too remains at 7.5 percent.

The central bank cut the CRR, the amount banks must maintain with the central bank in cash, to 4.75 percent from 5.50 percent ahead of its policy review on March 15.

The statutory liquidity ratio, the proportion of deposits that banks need to invest in government debt and other approved securities, was kept unchanged at 24 percent.

Following is a timeline of changes to the CRR since 1992.

RATE (percent) EFFECTIVE DATE (day-month-year)

4.75 10-03-2012

5.50 28-01-2012

6.00 24-04-2010

5.75 27-02-2010

5.50 13-02-2010

5.00 17-01-2009

5.50 08-11-2008

6.00 01-11-2008

6.50 15-10-2008

7.50 11-10-2008

9.00 30-08-2008

8.75 19-07-2008

8.50 05-07-2008

8.25 24-05-2008

8.00 10-05-2008

7.75 26-04-2008

7.50 10-11-2007

7.00 04-08-2007

6.50 28-04-2007

6.25 14-04-2007

6.00 03-03-2007

5.75 17-02-2007

5.50 08-12-2006

5.00 02-10-2004

4.75 18-09-2004

4.50 14-06-2003

4.75 16-11-2002

5.00 01-06-2002

5.50 29-12-2001

5.75 03-11-2001

7.50 19-05-2001

8.00 10-03-2001

8.25 24-02-2001

8.50 12-08-2000

8.25 29-07-2000

8.00 22-04-2000

8.50 08-04-2000

9.00 20-11-1999

9.50 06-11-1999

10.00 08-05-1999

10.50 13-03-1999

11.00 29-08-1998

10.00 11-04-1998

10.25 28-03-1998

10.50 17-01-1998

10.00 06-12-1997

9.50 22-11-1997

9.75 25-10-1997

10.00 18-01-1997

10.50 04-01-1997

11.00 09-11-1996

11.50 26-10-1996

12.00 06-07-1996

13.00 11-05-1996

13.50 27-04-1996

14.00 09-12-1995

14.50 11-11-1995

15.00 06-08-1994

14.75 09-07-1994

14.50 11-06-1994

14.00 15-05-1993

14.50 17-04-1993

15.00 08-10-1992