New Delhi: The government has shortlisted the possible candidates to replace Raghuram Rajan as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, with the clear intention that no bureaucrat be appointed as the central banker.
RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn and State Bank of India Chair Arundhati Bhattacharya, are on top of the shortlist of the government, reports said.
Names of World Bank Chief Economist Kaushik Basu and former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri are also under consideration.
Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, who recently came under direct attack of BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, is also being considered for the top post at the RBI.
"The government is more keen on appointing an economist as the RBI governor. Bureaucrats are not under active consideration," a senior government official was quoted as saying in another report by ET.
Two government officials also said that outgoing Raghuram Rajan, whose term end in September, was expected to join the search committee to appoint three external members of a new six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee.
Rajan, who was appointed as RBI Governor by UPA govt for three years, announced on June 18 that he would not seek a second term at the office. His term will end on September 4.
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had launched an attack against Rajan following which Rajan decided not to continue as RBI Governor. In his letter to RBI staff, Rajan said he would return to academia after his term ends.
"... on due reflection, and after consultation with the government, I want to share with you that I will be returning to academia when my term as Governor ends on September 4, 2016," Rajan said in his letter.
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