Nirmala pitches for interest rate cut to boost manufacturing

Pitching for interest rate cut, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said reduction in cost of credit was necessary to provide level playing field to domestic industry.
"I feel that there is not much of a level playing field in terms of availability of credit ... Company which make for India does not get credit easily or if he gets it, it is at unaffordable (rates)," Sitharaman said.
She said that companies which have some group abroad and a subsidiary operating India are able to obtain credit at cheaper rates outside.
"...And therefore they seem to benefit from the cheap credit availability," she told a private news channel.

RBI, which has kept policy rates unchanged for almost one year citing high inflation despite persistent demand from industry and government for a cut to boost economic activity, is slated to review its monetary policy on February 3.
Wholesale price inflation hit a zero level in November, the lowest in about five and a half years, on account of decline in prices of food, fuel and manufactured items.
The minister also urged the banks to focus more on lending small and medium enterprises units.
When asked about the forthcoming Budget, which is scheduled on February 28, she said that "it will be a good budget".