|
India's fiscal deficit stood at Rs 7.14 lakh crore during the April-September period of the current financial year (FY27), accounting for 42.1 per cent of the annual Budget Estimates, compared with 36.5 per cent in the corresponding period last year, according to government data released on Friday.
The Controller General of Accounts (CGA), under the Ministry of Finance, reported that the fiscal deficit stood at Rs 7,14 lakh crore at the end of September 2026, against the full-year Budget Estimate of Rs 16.96 lakh crore. Fiscal deficit refers to the gap between the government's total expenditure and its receipts, excluding borrowings. According to the CGA's Union Government Accounts at a Glance, total government expenditure during the first six months of FY27 stood at Rs 25.5 lakh crore, accounting for 47.7 per cent of the annual Budget Estimates, compared with 45.5 per cent during the same period last year. Of the total expenditure, revenue expenditure stood at Rs 18.95 lakh crore, or 45.9 per cent of the annual target, while capital expenditure reached Rs 6.55 lakh crore, accounting for 53.6 per cent of the Budget Estimates. Capital expenditure, which includes spending on infrastructure and asset creation, stood at 51.8 per cent of the annual target during the corresponding period last year. On the receipts side, the Centre collected Rs 18.35 lakh crore during April-September, representing 50.3 per cent of the full-year Budget Estimates, compared with 49.5 per cent in the same period last year. Net tax revenue stood at Rs 12.76 lakh crore, or 44.5 per cent of the annual target, while non-tax revenue reached Rs 4.8 lakh crore, accounting for 72.2 per cent of the Budget Estimates. The government's revenue deficit stood at Rs 1.38 lakh crore, or 23.4 per cent of the annual target, compared with 5.2 per cent in the corresponding period last year. Interest payments during the six-month period amounted to Rs 6.46 lakh crore, accounting for 46 per cent of the annual Budget Estimates. The CGA clarified that fiscal deficit figures reported during a financial year may not necessarily indicate the final deficit for the year, as differences in the timing of government receipts and expenditure can affect monthly accounts. The figures released by the CGA are provisional and unaudited. (ANI)
|
