Note ban: RBI guv to appear before Parliament panel on Jan 20

The chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, K V Thomas, on Monday said a meeting with finance ministry officials has been deferred to February 10 in view of the Budget preparations but Reserve Bank of India governor Urjit Patel will appear before it as per schedule on January 20 on the demonetisation issue.

The PAC had asked Patel and finance ministry officials to appear before the committee on January 20.

"The meeting is scheduled for January 20 and RBI governor Urjit Patel is coming as per information available with me. But the finance ministry officials will not be present on January 20 meeting as they have asked for extension till the Budget exercise gets over," Thomas told PTI.

His remarks came after Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey, who is also member of the PAC, wrote to Thomas for deferring the January 20 meeting.

When contacted, Dubey said he had requested the PAC chairman to call the ministry officials after February 10 as they were busy with preparations of the Union Budget which is to be presented on February 1.

"I had requested Thomas that kindly call the finance ministry officials after the Budget exercise got over. And as a former minister, he agreed with my view and it was decided to call these officials on February 10," he said.

A storm was kicked up by BJP members over Thomas's statement last week that the PAC can call Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depose on the note ban issue, forcing the panel to issue a press release rejecting the Congress leader's contention.