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Yet another economist quits govt: RBI Dy Governor Viral Acahrya resigns 6 months before term

Published

7 years ago

June 24, 2019

Yet another economist quits govt: RBI Dy Governor Viral Acahrya resigns 6 months before term

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]RBI Deputy Governor Viral V Acharya has resigned from his post, six months before the scheduled end of his term citing “unavoidable personal circumstances”, said media reports.

Confirming the resignation, the Reserve Bank of India in a statement said, “Due to unavoidable personal circumstances, Viral Acharya is unable to continue as deputy governor beyond July 23. Consequential action arising from his letter is under consideration of the competent authority.”

Acharya was not expecting his term to be renewed in any case, The Indian Express (IE) reported, citing source-based information.

Since Acharya was appointed by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the resignation would also be accepted by the panel.

Acharya, 45, joined the central bank in January 2017 and was RBI’s youngest deputy governor, post economic liberalisation. He took over at a time when the central bank was facing criticism for repeated changes in the rules related to deposit and withdrawal of money, post-demonetisation.

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His term was scheduled to end in February next year, said media reports. Acharya will be returning to New York University as CV Starr Professor of Economics. Acharya was called as the poor man’s Rajan over the many similarities with the former Governor Raghuram Rajan, who also left RBI against his wishes to continue.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1561367870691{border-top-width: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #dbdbdb !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Economists/Experts who quit:

June 2019 – RBI Dy Governor Viral Acharya resigns

Jan 2019 – The last two non-official members of National Statistical Commission resign over job data differences

Dec 2018 – RBI Governor Urjit Patel resigns amid tension with government

June 2018 – Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian resigns, recently claimed GDP growth rate was way below that claimed

Aug 2017 – NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Pangaraiya resigns

June 2016 – RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan resigns[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This is the second high profile resignation in the past six months at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the third under Modi government (including the previous term). The first to go was RBI governor Raghuram Rajan. In December 2018, governor Urjit Patel resigned nearly nine months before the end of his schedule term over differences with the government. The RBI is now left with three deputy governors NS Vishwanathan, BP Kanungo and MK Jain.

Acharya, in a speech just a couple of months before Patel’s resignation over differences with Modi government, had warned of “risks of undermining the central bank’s independence” as “potentially catastrophic”.

“Governments that do not respect central bank independence will sooner or later incur the wrath of financial markets, ignite economic fire, and come to rue the day they undermined an important regulatory institution,” Acharya had said.

Acharya had also warned of a talent crisis at a central bank if its independence is seen to be compromised. When the governance of the central bank is undermined, it is unlikely to attract or be able to retain the brightest minds that thrive on the ability to debate freely, think independently, and effect changes, attrition of central bank powers results in attrition of its human capital and deterioration of its efficiency and expertise over time, he had said.

An expert in credit risk, Acharya recently differed with Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das in the monetary policy announced on April 4, according to minutes released by the bank. Das favoured focussing on economic growth with a repo rate cut. Acharya cautioned on another rate cut in the wake of high inflation excluding food and fuel. The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6 per cent in a 4-2 majority decision.

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Acharya’s resignation is the latest in the string of high-profile exits of economic policy makers — Raghuram Rajan, Urjit Patel, Arvind Subramanian and now Viral Acharya and, said Financial Times (FT), calls into question the government’s ability to stomach independent advice. “But that is unlikely to unfaze the government, which no doubt has its own agenda,” FT said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

2 hours ago

September 6, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

India News

India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

16 hours ago

September 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
India is currently 216 km behind the US.
China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

India News

PM Modi returns to SRCC after 13 years, revisits 2013 glass full speech

PM Narendra Modi returned to SRCC after 13 years for its centenary celebrations, revisiting themes from his landmark 2013 address.

Published

17 hours ago

September 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday, 13 years after his previous visit to the institution as Gujarat chief minister.

His latest visit came as SRCC marked its centenary celebrations. Modi’s 2013 address at the college had attracted significant attention as he spoke about India’s youth, governance and the country’s demographic potential.

In 2013, Modi was Gujarat chief minister and had not yet been named the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. He returned to the same campus this year as Prime Minister, having completed 12 years as Prime Minister and serving his third consecutive term.

What PM Modi said at SRCC in 2013

The 2013 lecture was titled Emerging Business Models in the Global Scenario. The address also covered governance and India’s young population.

He described India’s youth as a source of national strength rather than simply a group of new-age voters. He also highlighted India’s demographic advantage and argued that the country needed to make better use of its young population.

One of the notable moments from the speech involved a glass of water. Modi contrasted the conventional descriptions of a glass as half full or half empty and said he viewed it as full, with half containing water and the other half air.

The speech also included his remarks on technology and young Indians. Referring to an anecdote from a visit to Taiwan, Modi used the phrase “mouse-charmers” to describe Indians using computers and suggested that young Indians had the ability to influence the world through technology.

‘Minimum government, maximum governance’

Modi’s 2013 address also touched on governance. He spoke about the role of government and the need for better governance.

He also spoke about India’s potential in the 21st century.

Modi returns as PM for SRCC centenary

The September 5 visit coincided with Teachers’ Day and SRCC’s 100th anniversary. The Prime Minister’s Office had announced that Modi would participate in the college’s centenary celebrations and address the gathering. SRCC was established in 1926 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Shri Ram.

Earlier this year, Modi also met the SRCC governing body at his residence in April in connection with the college’s centenary celebrations and released a commemorative postage stamp marking the occasion.

The return to SRCC came 13 years after his 2013 appearance at the college, when he addressed students as Gujarat chief minister.