Fiscal deficit for the month of April was at Rs 157,048 crore which is 22 percent of the budgeted estimate for the year 2019-20, slightly lower than what it was in the same period a year ago and as a percentage to the gross domestic product (GDP), the fiscal deficit is at 0.75 percent, department of expenditure (DoE) figures showed.

These are the fiscal situation of the Central government as seen from the accounts for April 2019 of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA). For 2019-20, the fiscal deficit has been set at 3.4 percent of the GDP in the interim Budget.

Fiscal deficit is Rs 157,048 crore — 22 percent of budget estimate (BE) (corresponding period for previous year - COPPY 24 percent). The receipts are sufficient to cover only 38 percent of expenditure. As a percentage to GDP, fiscal deficit is 0.75 percent and revenue deficit is 0.61 percent, the figures of Review of Accounts of April of the CGA stated.

For April, the total expenditure of the government was Rs 254,679 crore or 9 percent of BE (COPPY 9 percent), comprising revenue expenditure of Rs 224,091 crore — 9 percent of BE (COPPY 8 percent) and capital expenditure of Rs 30,588 crore — 9 percent of BE (COPPY 16 percent).

Total receipts were Rs 97,631 crore — 5 percent of the BE (COPPY 4 percent). Gross tax was Rs 121,190 crore — 5 per cent of the BE (COPPY 5 percent). The net tax revenue to the Centre was of the order of Rs 71,637 crore — 4 percent of BE after deducting devolution to states (Rs 49,544 crore) and collections under National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) to be transferred to National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) (Rs 9 crore).

Total receipts include Net Tax Revenue to Centre (Rs 71,637 crore), Non Tax Revenue (Rs 23,293 crore) and other receipts (Rs 2,701 crore).

During the month of May, the plan releases for various schemes to the tune of Rs 2,012.70 crore were made to the states.

A sum of Rs 49,543.62 crore was devolved to states as their share in Central Taxes and Duties. In addition, releases of the order of Rs 3,850.57 crore were made to the states in May, as recommended by the 14th Finance Commission. NDRF allocation was Rs 788.75 crore and Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) was Rs 2,850.57 crore.

First Published:Jun 23, 2019 4:46 PM IST