INFRASTRUCTURE
- The index for 8 core industries (comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity with a combined weight of 90% in the IIP) registered a growth of 27% during 2013-14.
- During the period, 6 out of 8 core sectors recorded positive growth namely electricity (5.6%), steel (49%) cement (3.0%), refinery products (1.7%), fertilizers (1.5%) and coal (0.7%).
- The remaining two sectors, namely, crude oil and natural gas recorded negative growth of 0.2% and 13.0% respectively.
PRICES AND INflATION
- The average headline inflation measured in terms of Wholesale Price Index (WPI), continued to decline to 98% in 2013-14.
- The decline in inflation was on account of fall in non-food inflation since the food- inflation continued to show uptrend during this period.
MONETARY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
- The gradual monetary easing started by the Reserve Bank of India with the dampening of inflationary pressures was halted with the large outflow of capital, particularly in debt segment and consequent steep depreciation of Rupee.
- RBI took a series of short term measures to taper the quantitative easing triggered by the capital outflow and exchange rate volatility.
- On July 24, 2013, the borrowing under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) was capped to 0.5% of each bank’s Net Demand and Time Liability (N DTL), thereby effectively making the MSF rate as the effective policy rate.
- From the requirement of maintaining the CRR on a fortnightly average basis and 70% on daily basis, the banks were required to maintain the CRR at 99% of the requirement on a daily basis.
- Cash Management Bills (CMBs) were issued to further tighten the liquidity.
- These measures transmitted to the money market rates rather quickly and impact of tight liquidity conditions was partly reflected in the lending and deposit rates.
- As a contingency measure and in anticipation of redemption pressures on mutal funds, RBI opened a dedicated Special Repo window for a notified amount of Rs.250 billion for liquidity support to mutual funds.
- As the capital outflow subsided and the exchange rate stabilised in a narrow band, the RBI began the process of calibrated withdrawal of the exceptional liquidity measures.
- The MSF rate was reduced by 75 basis points from 10.25% to 9.5% and the minimum daily maintenance of the CRR was reduced from 99% of the requirement to 95% effective from the fortnight beginning September 21, 2013.
- On October 2013, RBI reduced the MSF rate by a further 50 basis points from 9.5% to 9.0%.
- Provision of additional liquidity through term repos of seven day and fourteen day tenure for a notified amount equivalent to 0.25% NDTL of the banking system through variable rate auctions on every Friday beginning October 11, 2013 was also announced.