Fiscal deficit estimated at 6.4% of GDP in 2022-23

Further, she said, the revised estimate of fiscal deficit in the current year is estimated at 6.9 per cent of GDP as against 6.8 per cent projected in the Budget Estimates.

The finance minister stated that while setting the fiscal deficit level in 2022-23, she has been conscious of the need to nurture growth, through public investment, to become stronger and sustainable. The fiscal deficit of the government for 2022-23 is estimated to be Rs16, 61,196 crore. The Revised Estimates for 2021-22 indicate a fiscal deficit of Rs15, 91,089 crore as against the Budget Estimates of Rs15, 06,812 crore.

She said the outlay for capital expenditure in the Union Budget is once again being stepped up sharply by 35.4 per cent from Rs5.54 lakh crore in the current year to Rs7.50 lakh crore in 2022-23. This has increased to more than 2.2 times the expenditure of 2019-20. This outlay in 2022-23 will be 2.9 per cent of GDP.

With capital expenditure taken together with provision made for creation of capital assets through Grants-In-Aid to states, the ‘Effective Capital Expenditure’ of the central government is estimated at Rs10.68 lakh crore in 2022-23, which will be 4.1 per cent of GDP, the minister informed.

The total expenditure in 2022-23 is estimated at Rs39.45 lakh crore, while the total receipts other than borrowings are estimated at Rs22.84 lakh crore. She further added that as against a total expenditure of Rs34.83 lakh crore projected in the Budget Estimates 2021-22, the Revised Estimate is Rs37.70 lakh crore.

Market Borrowings

The total market borrowings of the government for 2022-23 are estimated to stand at Rs11,58,719 crore. The Revised Estimates for the same for 2021-22 are Rs8, 75,771 crore as against the Budget Estimates of Rs9, 67,708 crore.