Wednesday, June 12, 2013

RBI and Regulation of systemic Risk





Dr K P Krishnan in an earlier  article 'who would audit RBI' in Economic Times dated 6thJune 2013, has strongly suggested auditing of RBI accounts by CAG and now he observes RBI Governor is wrong in regulating risk. He says the current RBI Act does not envisage the Central Bank doing systemic regulation. This observation does not carry any conviction and is only intended to perhaps widen and intensify the difference of opinion between the Govt and RBI on various issues. As long as RBI is entrusted with the responsibility of regulating the financial system where the banking system accounts for a major and very significant share, the systemic risk because of inter linkages of institutions, markets with different products of various institutions, is inevitable and is a serious concern of RBI. Prudence demands that RBI cannot and should not escape from the responsibility of ensuring financial stability and soundness. RBI as an independent monetary authority by statute is enjoined upon  building  the confidence of the stakeholders in the whole system of money and finance in the overall interests of the economy. Whether the RBI Act explicitly provides for regulation of systemic risk or not RBI cannot escape from this responsibility as the preamble of the Act necessitates that the Reserve Bank should regulate the issue of bank notes and the keeping of Reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage. In this background how risk regulation and that too systemic risk regulation can be overlooked by the Reserve Bank is something very strange, surprising and incomprehensible. Further RBI has been exclusively entrusted with the regulation of banks and financial Institutions in terms of BR Act 1949 and all these years RBI has managed to keep the financial system healthy, stable and sound earning for itself the recognition and adulation as the well run Central Bank from all over the world and Institutions of repute. To find fault with RBI and to take away its role and responsibility under some silly excuses only smacks of  intolerance of RBI’s competence as a professionally run institution without any allegations or serious charges of corruption and the hunger for more power to dominate the financial system to satisfy its ulterior motives on the part of some vested interest.

Dr.T.V.Gopalakrishnan

( This comment is in response to an article Why the RBI Governor D Subbarao is wrong on regulating risk that appeared in ET dated 12/06/13)

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