Eurozone crisis has impacted Indian economy, rupee free fall: Pranab

New Delhi - 22 May 2012 (PTI): The government on Tuesday said the global slow down due to theEurozonecrisis has impacted the Indian economy and steps are being taken to tackle the situation.

"Global slowdown due to unfolding of Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has, inter-alia, impacted the Indian economy through deceleration in exports, widening of trade and current account deficit, decline in capital flows, fall in the value of Indian rupee, stock market decline and lower economic growth," finance ministerPranab Mukherjeesaid in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Export oriented industries and the capital investment are the most affected sectors, he said.

Mukherjee said the government is taking a number of steps to arrest the decline of rupee, which breached the psychological 55-level yesterday.

A number of steps have been taken to augment the supply of foreign exchange to stemrupeedecline, he said adding measures have also been taken to increase direct foreign investment for infrastructure development.

He said the steps included liberalisation of external commercial borrowings (ECB) policy and portfolio investment norms besides steps to improve access to corporate bond market through Infrastructure Debt Funds. The RBI has also taken initiatives to curb speculation in the foreign exchange market, he said. This included raising of NRI deposit interest rates, easing availability of export credit and stipulation that 50 per cent of balances in the Exchange Earner's Foreign Currency Account be converted into rupees balances, he said.

"A number of legislative measures/amendments have also been taken for fiscal consolidation/reforms and financial sector reforms," Mukherjee said.