Fiscal deficit at 94% of BE in eight months of FY14
The fiscal deficit in the first eight months of FY14 stood at Rs 509557
crore, which was 93.9% as a proportion of Budget Estimate (BE) compared
with 80.4% in the same period last year 2013. The month of November 2013
showed a fiscal deficit of Rs 51671 crore, higher than Rs 45798 crore
seen previous month. In April-November 2013, fiscal deficit recorded a
23.40% growth compared with same period last year. The upside to fiscal
deficit has been due to relatively sharper increase in expenditure as
compared to the revenues. On other hand, lower tax revenue growth by
7.19% in April-November 2013 also fueled higher fiscal deficit. The tax
revenue again took a toll as only Rs 396166 crore, 45% of the BE of Rs
884078 crore, was collected in the first eight months of FY14. For the
month of November 2013, the fiscal deficit at Rs 51671 crore is much
higher than a fiscal deficit of Rs 45006 crore during November 2012. The
reason for this slippage has been a considerably sharp increase in the
plan expenditure.
The revenue deficit crossed the BE and stood at 103.5% of BE in
April-November 2013 compared with 91.2% in April-November 2012. Revenue
deficit recorded 23.01% growth to Rs 393019 crore in April-November 2013
compared with Rs 319500 crore in April-November 2012. Revenue deficit
during November 2013 was noted higher at Rs 40009 crore, against a
Revenue deficit of Rs 34248 crore seen November 2012.
The primary deficit in November 2013 stood at Rs 21659 crore, which was
higher than Rs 17998 crore seen in November 2012. The cumulative primary
deficit for April-November 2013-14 rose to Rs 295123 crore from Rs
230067 crore seen same time previous fiscal, marking rise of 28.28%.
This accounted to 118.7% of the BE