The Reserve Bank is “quite optimistic” about its 9.5% GDP growth estimate coming true for FY22, and will take steps to “gradually move” for a cool off in headline inflation to its 4% target, governor Shaktikanta Das said on Thursday.

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank is “quite optimistic” about its 9.5% GDP growth estimate coming true for FY22, and will take steps to “gradually move” for a cool off in headline inflation to its 4% target, governor Shaktikanta Das said on Thursday.

The RBI had decided to use the 2 percentage point cushion to keep the inflation within the 2-6% target band as a result of the pandemic to push growth, Das said, adding that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will take a call on continuing with the accommodative stance. As a result of high inflation, which also breached the 6% band in between, the RBI has been maintaining a status quo on rates for over a year now and calls for higher attention to its core mandate of price rise are growing. The last MPC meet saw one of the six members dissenting on the stance, and asking for a rollback of the accommodative stance.

According to many watchers, the RBI will first shift the stance before a possible rollback of pandemic measures or eventually a rate hike. Speaking at the event hosted by The Indian Express and Financial Times, the governor said fast moving indicators on the economy are “upbeat” after the reverses faced as a result of the second wave of the pandemic beginning in mid-April. “Going forward, many of the fast moving indicators are looking upbeat. At this point of time our projection of 9.5 per cent growth for this financial year stands and I think it will hold good… At this point in time we are quite optimistic of the 9.5% growth we have projected for the current year,” Das said.

He said the growth will keep rising from a sequential perspective with every quarter, and expected the September quarter to be better than June. The only uncertainity is the possibility of a third wave, he said, adding that businesses and companies have not learnt how to deal with the impact of such disruptions. Meanwhile, on inflation, he said the RBI does not expect a “sustained increase” beyond the 6% number and some moderation as well going forward.

“…we are watchful, we are very serious about anchoring inflation expectations and anchoring the inflation around the target of 4% going forward,” Das said. pti

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