Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has maintained its key interest rates at current levels since February 2023, in response to ongoing inflationary pressures. The RBI has emphasized the need for caution,

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said people are finding current interest rates 'very stressful' and urged banks to make them affordable.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has kept key interest rates unchanged since February 2023, citing persistent inflation pressures.

Sitharaman follows trade minister Piyush Goyal, who last week argued for a cut in interest rates, stating that economic growth required further stimulus.

Regarding small businesses, Sitharaman set ambitious lending targets for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including a target of Rs 6.12 lakh crore for FY26 and Rs 7 lakh crore for FY27, in addition to the Rs 5.

On inflation, FM Nirmala Sitharaman says a set of three or four perishable commodities is driving the headline inflation, currently, and the rest of it, the core items, are at manageable levels of three or four per cent.