India imported 967 tonnes of gold in 2014-15.
On the individual front, housing loan rebate on self-occupied property was increased from Rs 1,50,000 to Rs 2,00,000.
RBI's status quo on rates disappoints economists.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to keep monetary policy steady in June despite sluggish economic activity as inflation remains elevated, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
Sectoral performance was mixed with media and PSU banking stocks attracting buyer interest and healthcare, FMCG and metal stocks bearing the brunt of the bears
RBI, in its first bi-monthly monetary policy statement, left the short-term lending rate, or repo rate, unchanged at 8 per cent and the cash reserve ratio static at 4 per cent.
The RBI is expected to cut rates in next policy.
Tuesday's policy announcement had a regulatory and development component.
The Reserve Bank of India kept interest rates on hold at 7.50 per cent.
India Inc has pitched for rate cut to boost economic activities.
Most say a rate cut could come in RBI's June policy.
The Reserve Bank is unlikely to lower the interest rates.
CRR remains unchanged at 4%; first repo rate cut since May 2013.
None of the four benchmarks suggested by the RBI is ideal as banks in India create loan assets from their deposits and not borrowing from the regulator or market, says Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
This development can strengthen the case for interest rate cut by the RBI.
The 30 share Sensex ended up 183 points at 27,470 and the 50-share Nifty gained 44 points to close at 8,295.
Senior bankers are trying to impress upon the central bank that the shift to external benchmark-linked lending be postponed to April 1, 2020.
The RBI's projections for consumer inflation over the rest of the year indicate some acceleration, with the rate reaching eight per cent in its baseline scenario.
Leeway on CRR and SLR was a long-standing demand from banks, which the RBI did not agree to till recently.
Focus to be on unbanked areas; initial capital is set at Rs 100 crore; India Post can apply.
RBI has cut the rates thrice so far in 2015 by 25 bps each.
ICICI Bank and SBI were among the top Sensex gainers along with FMCG majors ITC and HUL.
Economy improving but long way to full recovery, says FSDC.
There's need to address growth, but weak rupee putting pressure on prices.
Morgan Stanley expects RBI to cut rates sharply rather than "dribble down".
Hawkish tone likely to guard rupee from further slide
Banks want lower provisioning burden on recast debt, interest on cash reserve ratio deposits.
RBI Governor has been under pressure from Finance Ministry.
Markets shrugged off RBI's neutral stance on key policy rates.
The central bank had nudged banks to cut lending rates.
In case the repo rate keeps trending downwards, borrowers can expect a downward revision of their MCLR-linked loans.
The committee's suggestion that existing commercial banks be allowed to hold payment banks as subsidiaries is also seen as unviable by RBI and the finance ministry.
The S&P BSE Sensex shed 286 points to close at 24,539 and the Nifty50 lost 100 points to end at 7,456.
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Tuesday kept the repo rate unchanged 6.50 per cent.
PS banks need to pull up their socks to improve cash flows.
The RBI has made serious attempts to improve fiscal deficit.
Any liquid money that gold replaces for CRR or SLR compliance will allow banks to use this 'extra' cash for lending to borrowers
With prices unlikely to run up sharply, genuine buyers can start readying deals before the festival season starts.
The Finance Ministry has sought comments from stakeholders.
After two surprising, successive rate cuts in January and February 2015, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan decided not to reduce them further in his first policy announcement in the new financial year. Is he playing spoilsport for consumers of homes and cars?
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