Government to link savings deposit terms to market rates

Economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das says the rates could be tweaked for short-term deposits

Revenue Secretary Shaktikanta Das Picture by PTI
Revenue Secretary Shaktikanta Das at PHD International Tax Conference on Global Tax Issues & Recent Developments in New Delhi on Friday, 21 August 2015 <b>Picture by PTI</b>
Reuters New Delhi
Last Updated : Feb 11 2016 | 1:20 PM IST
India will link the interest paid to millions of small savers in a $137-billion central deposit scheme to market rates that will be revised every quarter, Economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das said on Thursday.

Cutting the small savings rate could save the government an estimated $700 million a year. But the move is likely to irk small savers and could be unpopular politically, particularly in rural areas where few banks have branches.

Das said the rates, previously adjusted annually, would be tweaked for shorter-term deposits and be aligned to government securities of comparable maturity.

Rates on two social security schemes will not be changed, Das said.

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First Published: Feb 11 2016 | 12:50 PM IST

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