Politically difficult to fast-track structural reforms: Rajan

May 22, 2016 14:20

It is 'politically difficult' to speed up structural reforms in India, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said, even as he stressed on the need for cleansing the banks and checking inflation to ensure faster growth.

Rajan also said labour market reforms can boost growth, but the process may draw opposition.

Delivering a lecture on 'The Global Economy and India' in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, the former Chief Economist of IMF said new rules need to be evolved for international monetary policy and called for the emerging markets like India to "speak up and raise their voice louder" to have a say in setting the global agenda.

The governor said India is fairly safe from volatile global economy and it has posted 7.5 per cent growth despite two droughts and weak international market.

"Despite two droughts and weak international market scenario, we are registering about 7.5 per cent growth because of macro level stability," he said.

While there is a need to ensure macro level stabilisation, the country would have to keep inflation under control and cleanse the banks, he said. "This can strengthen macro level stability," he said.

In addition to that, maintaining reforms would attract both international and domestic investors and spur activities, Rajan said.

Stating that structural reforms are important for elevating the potential of economy, the RBI Governor said degree of competition and level of participation of different segments of society should be raised in order to bring more and more people into the workforce.

However, it may be difficult politically to speed up structural reforms and while labour market reforms can boost growth, the process may draw opposition, the outspoken governor said.

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