Will adhere to fiscal deficit target to check inflation:CEA

Welcoming RBI's decision to slash key interest rate by 0.50 percent, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian on Tuesday said the government is committed to contribute its share by adhering to its fiscal deficit target so that inflationary pressures remain under control. In its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy for the current fiscal, RBI cut benchmark repurchase (repo) rate from 7.25 percent to 6.75 percent, lowest in four-and-half-years. "It's a really a welcome move by the RBI. It shows that inflationary pressure has fallen and is under control, we have to be vigilant about inflation always... and the government is also committed to contributing its share by adhering to its fiscal deficit target so that inflationary pressures are contained," Subramanian told reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by industry body CII. As per the new roadmap, the government has pegged fiscal deficit target for 2015-16 at 3.9 per cent, 3.5 per cent for 2016-17 and 3 per cent for 2017-18.

Noting that 0.50 per cent rate cut by the RBI will be very good for the economy, the CEA said, "I think what this rate cut shows that it has opened up room for monetary policy support for the economy." Subramanian expressed hope that the rate cut will boost investor confidence and bring down other market rates as well. Stressing that it is not just 50 percent rate cut now, he said, "RBI has signalled that stance is going to be more accommodating going forward and it gives us lots of good reasons to hope and see that the economy is getting all support that is needed." When asked whether the government is still hopeful of achieving 8 per cent growth rate for the current fiscal, Subramanian said, "We are going to review that as data comes in."