RBI launches 3 key surveys to get input for monetary policy

The Reserve Bank on Thursday launched three key surveys, including one to gauge inflation expectations among households, aimed at providing critical inputs for formulating monetary policy.

The July 2026 round of the ‘Inflation Expectations Survey of Households’ aims at capturing subjective assessments on price movements and inflation, based on their individual consumption baskets, across 19 cities, the central bank said in a statement.

The survey seeks qualitative responses from households on price changes (general prices as well as prices of specific product groups) in the three months ahead as well as in the one year ahead period and quantitative responses on current, three months ahead and one year ahead inflation rates, it said.

The RBI also announced the launch of ‘the July 2026 round of the Rural Consumer Confidence Survey’.

The survey collects current perceptions and one-year-ahead expectations of households on general economic situation, employment scenario, overall price situation, own income and spending from the households residing in the rural and semi-urban areas across 31 states/ UTs.

In another statement, it said the July 2026 round of Urban Consumer Confidence Survey seeks qualitative responses from households regarding their sentiments on general economic situation, employment scenario, price level, households’ income and spending.

Like the inflation expectation survey, it will also be conducted across 19 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram.

The results of the surveys provide useful inputs for monetary policy, the Reserve Bank said.

The next meeting of the rate-setting panel -- Monetary Policy Committee - is scheduled for August 3 to 5, 2026.