Govt aims to improve quality spending, cut fiscal deficit to 4.5 pc in FY26: Finmin report

The government will continue its focus on improving quality spending, strengthening the social security net and bringing down the fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of the GDP in FY26, a finance ministry document said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament on February 1. The Union government is committed to pursuing the glide path of fiscal consolidation as announced in the Budget for FY 2021-22 and to attain a level of fiscal deficit lower than 4.5 per cent of GDP by FY 2025-26, according to finance ministry statements on the half yearly review of the trends in receipts and expenditure and deviation in meeting the obligations of the government under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003.

The statements were tabled in the Lok Sabha last week.

“The thrust will be on improving the quality of public spending, while at the same time, strengthening the social security net for the poor and needy. This approach would help further strengthen the nation’s macro-economic fundamentals and ensure overall financial stability,” it said.

According to the statements, the Budget 2024-25 was presented in the backdrop of global uncertainties caused by the wars in Europe and the Middle East.

India’s sound macro-economic fundamentals have cushioned the country from the vagaries afflicting the global economy. “It has also helped the nation pursue growth with fiscal consolidation. As a result, India retains its pride of place as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, risks to growth still remain,” it said. Total expenditure was estimated at about Rs 48.21 lakh crore, of which, expenditure on revenue account and capital account were estimated at about Rs 37.09 lakh crore and Rs 11.11 lakh crore, respectively, as per the Budget Estimate (BE) of 2024-25.

As against total expenditure of Rs 48.21 lakh crore, the expenditure in first half of FY25 was Rs 21.11 lakh crore or about 43.8 per cent of BE.

Taking into account the grant for creation of capital assets, the effective capital expenditure (Capex) was projected at Rs 15.02 lakh crore.

Gross Tax Revenue (GTR) was estimated at about Rs 38.40 lakh crore with an implied tax-GDP ratio of 11.8 per cent.

Total non-debt receipt of the Centre was estimated at about Rs 32.07 lakh crore. It comprised tax revenue (net to Centre) of about Rs 25.83 lakh crore, non-tax revenue of about Rs 5.46 lakh crore, and miscellaneous capital receipts of Rs 0.78 lakh crore.

With above estimates of receipts and expenditure, the fiscal deficit was pegged at about Rs 16.13 lakh crore in BE 2024-25 or 4.9 per cent of GDP.

In H1 of FY25, the fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 4.75 lakh crore, or about 29.4 per cent of BE.

The fiscal deficit was planned to be financed by raising Rs 11.13 lakh crore from market (G-sec + T-Bills), and the remaining amount of Rs 5 lakh crore from other sources, such as NSSF, State Provident Fund, External debt, draw down of cash balance, etc.