The finance ministry on Monday said the ability of the Reserve Bank to intervene in the forex market to arrest the fall in rupee is limited, even as the Indian currency declined to a 32-month low of Rs 51.50 per US dollar in the early trade.

"RBI's ability to intervene in forex market is limited", Department of Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan said.

In the early trade, rupee fell 16 paise to Rs 51.50 against the dollar

on the Interbank Foreign Exchange because of sustained demand for the American currency from banks and importers.

The domestic currency had tumbled 44 paise to Rs 51.34/35 per dollar in the previous session on heavy demand and firmness of the American currency overseas.

Dealers said the dollar demand from some banks and importers, mainly oil refiners, weighed on the rupee's fortunes.

They said concerns over foreign fund outflows from the domestic equity market and dollar demand from state-run oil refiners reduced the rupee's attractiveness.