Fiscal deficit estimated at 5.1% of GDP in FY13: FM
India Infoline News Service / 21:29 , Mar 16, 2012
The fiscal deficit in the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2012 will be 5.9% of GDP.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday announced that the fiscal deficit in the coming financial year (FY13) is projected to be 5.1% of GDP.

The fiscal deficit in the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2012 will be 5.9% of GDP.

This is substantially higher than the estimated fiscal deficit of 4.6% of GDP.

After taking into account other items of financing, the net market borrowings through dated securities through finance this deficit is Rs 4,79,000 Crore.

With this, the total debt stock at the end of 2012-13 would work out at 45.5% of GDP as compared to the 13th Finance Commission target of 50.5% of GDP.

The effective revenue deficit in BE 2012-13 works out to Rs 1,85,752 Crore, which is 1.8% of GDP.

This has been achieved due to various steps taken by the Government for fiscal consolidation despite fall in the direct tax collections by Rs 32,000 Crore and the Government absorbing duty reduction in petroleum sector with annual revenue loss of Rs 49,000 Crore in the year 2011-12.

The Government also had to incur higher expenditure on petroleum and fertilizer subsidy to insulate people from the rising prices.