India's fiscal deficit rose to 96.1 per cent of the full-year target by the end of October, as receipts lagged behind expenditure.
According to official data released on Thursday, the Centre’s fiscal deficit rose to ₹ 5,25,321 crore between April and October this year. It was marginally lower at 79.3 per cent of the Budget Estimate a year ago. Between April and September this year, the deficit was 91.9 per cent.
The revenue deficit overshot the full-year target by 24.7 per cent to ₹ 4,01,085 crore between April and October. It was much lower at 92.5 per cent of the Budget Estimate a year ago.
The Centre hopes to maintain its fiscal deficit at 3.2 per cent of the GDP in 2017-18.
Total receipts were ₹ 7,67,327 crore or 48.1 per cent of the Budget Estimate, while total expenditure amounted to ₹ 12,92,648 crore or 60.2 per cent of the full-year target.