Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said Sunday that he tested positive for coronavirus. He is 63 years old.
Shaktikanta Das confirmed the news on Twitter. He said that he will continue to work from isolation. He also said that he is in contact with all lieutenant governors and other officials through videoconference and telephone.
On Twitter, Das said: “I have tested positive for COVID-19. Asymptomatic. I feel great. I have alerted those in contact in the last few days. I will continue to work from isolation. Work at RBI will continue normally. I am in contact with all Dy. Govs and other officers via VC and by phone. “
Shaktikanta Das and the entire staff have been working from the office since the shutdown began in March.
Earlier on Friday, the RBI released the minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Reconstituted under section 45ZB of the RBI Act of 1934, earlier this year, the reserve bank MPC met on October 7-9.
The RBI Central Board met under the chairmanship of Governor Das via video conference. This was the 585th meeting of the Central Board. The governor said there is room for future rate cuts if inflation evolves in line with expectations.
The MPC, during its meeting, decided to keep the benchmark lending interest rates unchanged in view of the tightening of retail inflation.
During the meeting, according to the MPC minutes, Das said: “I recognize that there is room for future rate cuts if inflation evolves in line with our expectations. This space should be used prudently to support growth recovery.”
Governor Das added that multiple high-frequency indicators of economic activity suggest a sequential improvement in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. “However, there are uncertainties to the downside that could put sand in the wheels of this incipient recovery. The main one is the risk of a second wave of Covid-19,” said Das.
“Private investment activity is likely to be moderate, even as domestic financial conditions have eased significantly,” the governor added during the MPC meeting.
During the MPC meeting, MPC members – Dr. Shashanka Bhide, Dr. Ashima Goyal, Prof Jayanth Varma, Dr. Mridul Saggar, Dr. Micheal Debabrata Patra, and Shaktikanta Das – voted to maintain the policy buyback rate. unchanged at 4.0%.
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