Experts feel India’s fiscal deficit likely to overshoot budget target
17 Sep 2012 11:36 PM GMT
India's fiscal deficit is likely to overshoot the budget target of 5.1 per cent of GDP, even after factoring in the much awaited diesel price hike, experts say.
The country's fiscal deficit is likely to exceed budget's 5.1 per cent target primarily because of higher than expected oil subsidy, even after factoring in Rs 5.63 a litre hike in diesel prices and capping the supply of subsidised LPG to six cylinders per household in a year.According to HSBC chief economist for India and Asean [region] Leif Lybecker Eskesen, 'The steps will only contain and not prevent fiscal slippage.' Even factoring the fuel hikes in, HSBC expects the 2012-13 fiscal deficit to reach 5.8 per cent [as against the 5.1 per cent deficit target].
While the price hike is positive and will reduce the under-recoveries [losses by oil companies] by Rs 20,300 crore, key to note is that retail prices are way below global prices, Citigroup said in a research report. If there is no change in the current subsidy sharing mechanism, the government's share of losses would touch Rs 1,00,200 crore higher than Rs 83,500 crore in FY12, it said. 'Accounting for other expenditure and revenue slippages, we maintain our view of the fiscal deficit coming in at 5.9 per cent of GDP as against the government's target of 5.1 per cent,' Citigroup economist Rohini Malkani said in a report.
The country's fiscal deficit is likely to exceed budget's 5.1 per cent target primarily because of higher than expected oil subsidy, even after factoring in Rs 5.63 a litre hike in diesel prices and capping the supply of subsidised LPG to six cylinders per household in a year.According to HSBC chief economist for India and Asean [region] Leif Lybecker Eskesen, 'The steps will only contain and not prevent fiscal slippage.' Even factoring the fuel hikes in, HSBC expects the 2012-13 fiscal deficit to reach 5.8 per cent [as against the 5.1 per cent deficit target].
While the price hike is positive and will reduce the under-recoveries [losses by oil companies] by Rs 20,300 crore, key to note is that retail prices are way below global prices, Citigroup said in a research report. If there is no change in the current subsidy sharing mechanism, the government's share of losses would touch Rs 1,00,200 crore higher than Rs 83,500 crore in FY12, it said. 'Accounting for other expenditure and revenue slippages, we maintain our view of the fiscal deficit coming in at 5.9 per cent of GDP as against the government's target of 5.1 per cent,' Citigroup economist Rohini Malkani said in a report.
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