Nirmala Sitharaman advances Viksit Bharat via infrastructure

05 Feb 2024 CW Team

Last year, when the Budget was presented by the finance minister, the deficit projections for 2023-24 were based on the assumption that the nominal GDP would be nearly Rs 302 trillion.

According to current estimates, that number is now under Rs 297 trillion. If the absolute deficit numbers had remained at Budget estimates (BE), they would have represented a larger proportion of GDP due to the reduction in the denominator. However, the revised estimates (RE) indicate that the fiscal deficit is 5.8% of GDP, slightly lower than the budgeted 5.9%.

The question arises: was this achievement the result of higher receipts? Not exactly. In fact, total receipts in the revised estimates are slightly lower than in the Budget estimates (Rs 44.9 trillion against Rs 45 trillion). What has contributed to keeping the deficit in check is a reduction in "effective capital expenditure" by about Rs trillion, with the RE of Rs 12.7 trillion falling approximately 7% short of the budgeted figure. Effective capital expenditure encompasses both the Centre's own capital spending and the grants-in-aid provided for the capital expenditure of states.

Despite a somewhat higher than budgeted revenue expenditure (Rs 35.4 trillion against Rs 35 trillion), the total expenditure was kept within the budgeted figure. Consequently, the fiscal deficit, which is the gap between total expenditure and receipts other than borrowings, is now estimated to reach Rs 17.3 trillion instead of the initially budgeted Rs 17.9 trillion. This ensures that it remains within the budget target of 5.9% of GDP.

Infrastructure Urban

13 Mar 2026

Implementation Status of Jal Jeevan Mission

Since August 2019 the Government has implemented Jal Jeevan Mission to provide assured potable water through household tap connections in rural India. At the start of the mission only 32.3 million (mn) rural households, representing 16.7 per cent, were reported to have tap water connections. States and union territories have reported that 125.8 mn additional rural households have since been provided with tap connections. As a result, of about 193.6 mn rural households roughly 158.2 mn, or 81.71 per cent, are reported to have tap water supply at home.\n\nThe State, district and village level st..

Jal Jeevan Mission Reaches Eighty One Per Cent Rural Coverage

The Government reported substantial progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in August 2019 to provide tap water to every rural household. At launch only 32.3 million (mn) rural households had tap connections and states and Union territories reported provision of 125.8 mn additional households by March 2026. Consequently, out of about 193.6 mn rural households around 158.2 mn, or 81.71 per cent, are reported to have tap water at home. The Finance Minister announced extension of the mission until 2028 in the 2025-26 budget speech. The Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, launched in October 20..

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