Fiscal deficit soars to 145% of estimate

Union government's fiscal deficit soared to ~11.58 trillion or 145.5 per cent of the Budget Estimate (BE) at the end of December, as revenue realisation was hit by disruptions in normal business activities. According to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), the fiscal deficit at the end of December in the previous fiscal year was 132.4 per cent of the BE of 2019-20.

In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit stood at ~11,58,469 crore at December-end. For the current fiscal year, the government had pegged the fiscal deficit at ~7.96 trillion or 3.5 per cent of the GDP in the Budget which was presented in February 2020. The fiscal deficit or gap between the expenditure and revenue had breached the annual target in July this year.

The government received ~11.21 trillion (50 per cent of corresponding BE 2020-21 of total receipts) up to December 2020. Of this, ~9,62,399 crore was tax revenue, ~1,26,181 crore was non-tax revenue, and ~33,098 crore was non-debt capital receipts.

Non-debt capital receipts consist of recovery of loans (~14,202 crore) and disinvestment proceeds (~18,896 crore). The total receipts till December 2020 works out to be 49.9 per cent of the BE. The receipts were 56.6 per cent of the BE 2019-20 at the end of December 2019.

The CGA also said that ~3,71,640 crore has been transferred to state governments as devolution of share of taxes by the central government up to December 2020.

The centre's total expenditure stood at ~22.80 trillion or 75 per cent of corresponding BE 2020-21. Out of this, ~19,71,173 crore was on revenue account and ~3,08,974 crore was on capital account.

Of the total revenue expenditure, ~4,72,171 crore was towards interest payments and ~2,27,352 crore is on account of major subsidies.