Kelkar panel submits report on fiscal consolidation to FM

04 Sep 2012 Evaluate

After reviewing government's spending, revenue and borrowings proposed in the budget for 2012-13, a panel headed by former Finance Commission Chairman Vijay Kelkar has submitted its report on fiscal consolidation to Finance Minister P Chidambaram. In view of urgency for disciplining government finances, the Committee has suggested means to increase government revenue and slashing their expenditure, including limiting subsidies. The committee has also urged for special emphasis on revenue generation through disinvestment and spectrum auction.

The recommendations, which have been submitted within a month of the committee being formed, come in the backdrop of the fiscal deficit shooting over 50% of budgetary estimate for the whole year of 2012-13, raising fears of the government breaching its fiscal deficit target of 5.1 per cent of GDP for the current year. Fiscal deficit during April-July reached 51 per cent of the budgetary estimate of Rs 5.13 lakh crore, at Rs 2.64 lakh crore. Government's total receipts in the first four months summed up to Rs 1.73 lakh crore, only 17.7 per cent of the budget amount, while its expenditure soared to Rs 4.37 lakh crore, 29.3% of the budgeted amount. Government’s fiscal deficit shot higher to 5.76% of GDP in the last fiscal mainly due to high fuel subsidy outgo and other expenditure.

With an intention of cranking up slowing growth engine of Indian economy, newly appointed Finance Minister, categorizing fiscal consolidation as its top priority has appointed a new panel to advise the government on fiscal rectitude, which could help the government in formulating the path of fiscal consolidation.

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