New Delhi: The central government’s fiscal deficit stood at Rs 12.52 lakh crore at the end of February, or 80.4 per cent of the annual budget target for 2025-26 compared to 85.8 per cent in the year-ago period, according to government data released on Monday.
The Centre estimates the fiscal deficit (the gap between expenditure and revenue) during 2025-26 at 4.4 per cent of GDP, or Rs 15.58 lakh crore.
According to monthly accounts released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), the Centre’s total receipts stood at Rs 27.91 lakh crore, or 82 per cent of the budget target by February-end 2026.
The receipts included Rs 21.45 lakh crore tax revenue (net) and Rs 5.8 lakh crore non-tax revenue.
CGA said Rs 12.66 lakh crore was transferred to state governments as devolution of share of taxes by the Centre during the period, which is Rs 85,837 crore higher than the previous year.
CGA data showed that the central government’s total expenditure during April-February 2025-26 stood at Rs 40.44 lakh crore, or 81.5 per cent of the full financial year budget target.
Of the total expenditure, Rs 31.15 lakh crore was on revenue account and Rs 9.29 lakh crore was on capital account.
Out of the total revenue expenditure, Rs 10.65 lakh crore went towards interest payments and Rs 3.89 lakh crore towards major subsidies.