Fiscal Deficit of India

The government tax and expenditure measures to impact economic circumstances is referred to as fiscal policy. Fiscal policy is primarily based on theories advanced, claimed that governments might stabilize the economic cycle and control productive capacity.

Throughout a crisis, the government may use expansionary fiscal policy to promote consumer spending and drive economic growth by decreasing tax rates. A government may follow a contractionary fiscal strategy in the face of rising prices and other expansionary signs.

What is fiscal deficit?

The fiscal deficit is the balance remaining of the government’s total income and total spending. A fiscal imbalance develops when the government’s spending exceeds its revenue. This gap is computed both in real numbers and as a percent of the nation’s gross Domestic Product (GDP). A persistently large budget deficit indicates that the administration has already been spending outside its means.

Fiscal deficit = Total Expenditure – Total revenues minus borrowings

The fiscal deficit reveals how much money the government will have to spend throughout the fiscal year. A larger deficit shows that the government is borrowing more, and the magnitude of the deficit reflects the amount of expenditure whereby the money is spent.

The printing of fresh notes to improve currency flow in the network is referred to as deficit financing. If it results in the production of assets, the fiscal deficit is a blessed. It is damaging to the nation’s economic status if it is just utilized to cover tax deficits.

A key disadvantage or consequence of fiscal deficit is the possibility of falling into a debt trap. Furthermore, it may result in unneeded and inefficient government spending. Increased fiscal deficit leads to unmanageable inflation. Borrowing is one method of reducing the budget deficit. Another option is to finance deficit, the shortfall.

Measures to reduce fiscal deficit

1. A key disadvantage or consequence of fiscal deficit is the possibility of falling into a debt trap. Furthermore, it might lead to unnecessary and wasteful government spending. Increased fiscal deficit leads to unmanageable inflation. Borrowing is one way to reduce the fiscal imbalance. Another option is to finance the difference.

2. The government spends a large amount of money on Leave Travel Concessions, bonuses, leave encashment, and other benefits. If the government is resolved to decrease public spending, a decrease in these expenditures is desired.

3. Reduced interest payments on past debt is another important approach for reducing government spending. In India, interest payments make for almost 40% of the federal government’s revenue expenditure. Funds obtained from public-sector disinvestment, in our opinion, should be utilized to repay a portion of old public debt rather than funding current expenditure. The burden of future interest payments will be reduced if the public debt is retired promptly.

4. Experience has demonstrated that different tax exemptions granted in taxable income and indirect taxes to promote jobs, manufacturing sector of backward regions, and other similar social objectives do not truly fulfill the stated reasons and are mostly exploited for tax evasion. As a result, these privileges should be abolished in order to increase tax income, and social objectives should be fulfilled by using more effective policy tools.

5. Public-sector firms should be restructured such that they generate some profits at least at their own development, reducing their reliance on government budgetary resources. To that end, their pricing structure should be designed to recoup the least amount of user cost.

Monetary Policy Objectives

The primary goal of monetary policy objectives is to preserve price stability while maintaining growth in view, as low inflation is a crucial precondition for long-term economic growth.

• Monetary policies have the ability to alter the degree of joblessness. An expansionary monetary policy often reduces unemployment because the increased money supply increases economic activity, which leads to job market expansion.

• A central bank can control exchange rates between local and foreign currencies by using its budgetary authorities. The central bank may raise the supply of money by issuing additional currency. In such a circumstance, the native currency becomes less expensive in comparison to its international counterparts.

Fiscal and Monetary Policy

Both fiscal and monetary policy are used to manage economic activity throughout time. Monetary policy seeks to alter the quantity of money and loans available in the economy. Fiscal policy influences government decisions on taxes and expenditure.

They may be employed to either boost growth when the economy begins to decline or to control growth when the economy begins to overheat. There are several historical examples of government measures that worsened economic growth, eventually leading to negative effects.

Conclusion

A government deficit occurs when budget expenditure exceeds budget revenue receipts. This might be the result of a sudden change in budget needs. An economy grows when the deficit is kept under control.

An excessive government deficit may deteriorate the economy’s financial health. The government’s objective should be to organize income and spending in such a way that the economy works toward a balanced budget scenario.