Fiscal deficit touches 45% of full-year target in October

The government's fiscal deficit at the end of October touched 45 per cent of the full-year budget estimate, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on Thursday.

In actual terms, the fiscal deficit -- the difference between expenditure and revenue -- was Rs 8.03 lakh crore during the April-October period of 2023-24.

In the corresponding period last year, the deficit was 45.6 per cent of the budget estimates of 2022-23.

For 2023-24, the fiscal deficit of the government is estimated to be Rs 17.86 lakh crore or 5.9 per cent of the GDP.