RBI pauses, revises growth forecast down sharply

Central bank warned the govt saying it should not be too ambitious with its fiscal stimulus package

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept its policy rates unchanged on Wednesday, revised its inflation forecast for the second half of the fiscal year, and lowered the growth forecast sharply, while asking the government not to be too ambitious with its fiscal stimulus package.

Five members of the six-member monetary policy committee (MPC), headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel, voted for a pause. Ravindra Dholakia voted for a 25 basis point cut. Following the fourth bi-monthly monetary policy, the repo rate remained at 6 per cent. While continuing with its glide path of bringing down banks’ mandatory bond holdings,