08/04/2018
With rising non-performing assets (NPAs), the country’s banking system finds itself unable to pass on the benefits of an easing monetary policy to its customers, states the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its first bi-monthly monetary policy report for financial year 2018-19.
The NPA problem has had an impact on monetary transmission, as banks charge higher premiums on loans despite benefitting from a consistent regime of low-cost funding.
Monetary policy transmission refers to the process by which asset prices and general economic conditions are affected by monetary policy decisions. For example, if the central bank cuts the repo rate by 50 basis points (bps), how long would it take for a retail borrower to receive the rate-cut benefit?
The pace of decline in the base rate has loosened since April 2016, the study notes, as the transmission of policy rate cuts to outstanding loans amounted to 55 bps during 2017-18 (up to February), as against 40 bps during 2016-17. This means monetary policy transmission has improved by 15 bps, despite the seething stressed asset problem.