Under the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement, the RBI will be responsible for containing inflation targets at 4% (with a standard deviation of 2%) in the medium term.
Under Section 45ZA(1) of the RBI Act, 1934, the Central Government determines the inflation target in terms of the Consumer Price Index, once in every five years in consultation with the RBI. This target would be notified in the Official Gazette. Though the central bank already had a monetary framework and was implementing the monetary policy, the newly designed statutory framework would mean that the RBI would have to give an explanation in the form of a report to the Central Government, if it failed to reach the specified inflation targets.
Decision Making at MPC
The proceedings of MPC are confidential and the quorum for a meeting shall be four a members, at least one of whom shall be the Governor and in his absence, the Deputy who isthe Member of the MPC.
The MPC takes decisions based on majority vote (by those who are present and voting). In case of a tie, the RBI governor will have the second or casting vote. The decision of the Committee would be binding on the RBI.
As per the Act, RBI has to organise at least four meetings of the MPC in a year. The government may, if it considers necessary, convey its views, in writing, to the MPC from time to time.
RBI is mandated to furnish necessary information to the MPC to facilitate their decision making and if any member of the MPC, at any time, requests the RBI for additional information, including any data, models or analysis, the same have to be provided, not just to that member but to all members. The transitioning from the current decision process to that of an MPC will impart diversity of views, specialised experience and independence of opinion in the monetary policy decisions which could help in improving the representativeness in the overall decision-making process.