Table of contents | |
Introduction | |
Objectives of Fiscal Policy | |
Importance of Fiscal Policy | |
Components of Fiscal Policy | |
Deficits and their Types | |
NK Singh Committee Recommendations (From Review Committee). |
Fiscal policy is the guiding force that helps the government decide how much money it should spend to support the economic activity, and how much revenue it must earn from the system, to keep the wheels of the economy running smoothly.
For example: During an economic downturn, the government may decide to open up its coffers to spend more on building projects, welfare schemes, providing business incentives, etc. The aim is to help make more of productive money available to the people, free up some cash with the people so that they can spend it elsewhere, and encourage businesses to make investments. At the same time, the government may also decide to tax businesses and people a little less, thereby earning lesser revenue itself.
1. Capital Account: A capital account is an account that includes capital receipts and payments. It basically includes assets as well as liabilities of the government.
(a) Capital Expenditure: Capital expenditure is the expenditures made by the government to create physical or financial assets.
Capital expenditure either create an asset or causes a reduction in liabilities of the government.
(b) Capital Receipts: Capital receipts are those which create a liability on the government or reduce the assets.
2. Revenue Account: A revenue account is an account with a credit balance. It includes all the revenue receipts and the revenue expenditure of the government.
(a) Revenue Expenditure: Revenue expenditure is the expenditure made by the government which creates neither an asset nor liability. These expenditures are simply interest payments on debts by the government, grants to state governments and general expenses.
Revenue Expenditure is divided into:
(b) Revenue Receipts: Revenue receipts are the current income to the government and they cannot be taken back from the government.
The Revenue receipts are divided into Tax and Non-Tax Revenue:
Tax Revenue mainly includes:
- Direct taxes (personal income tax, corporation tax) fall directly on a person.
- Indirect taxes include (excise duties and customs duties) which are on goods produced in the country or goods that are exported and imported.
What Is a Deficit?
A deficit is an amount by which a resource, especially money, falls short of what is required. A deficit occurs when expenses exceed revenues, imports exceed exports, or liabilities exceed assets.
In a deficit, the total of negative amounts is greater than the total of positive amounts. In other words, the outflow of money exceeds the inflow of funds. A deficit can occur when a government, company, or individual spends more than is received in a given period, usually a year.
(i) Current account deficit is when a country imports more goods and services than it exports.
Current Account = Trade gap + Net current transfers + Net income abroad Trade gap = Exports – Imports
(ii) A fiscal deficit occurs when a government's total expenditures exceed the revenue that it generates, excluding money from borrowings.
Fiscal Deficit = Total expenditure of the government (capital and revenue expenditure) – Total income of the government (Revenue receipts + recovery of loans + other receipts)
(iii) Primary deficit is the fiscal deficit of the current year minus interest payments on previous borrowings.
Primary Deficit = Fiscal Deficit (Total expenditure – Total income of the government) – Interest payments (of previous borrowings)
(iv) Revenue deficit relates only to the government: It describes the shortfall of total revenue receipts compared to total revenue expenditures.
Revenue Deficit: Total revenue receipts – Total revenue expenditure.
(v) Effective Revenue Deficit is the difference between revenue deficit and grants for the creation of capital assets.
Effective Revenue Deficit: Revenue deficit - Grant for creation of capital assets.
Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBMA), 2003
The objective of this FRBM Act is to impose fiscal discipline on the government.
It means fiscal policy should be conducted in a disciplined manner or in a responsible manner i.e. government deficits or borrowings should be kept within reasonable limits and the government should plan its expenditure in accordance with its revenues so that the borrowing should be within limits.
Targets under this FRBM Act
Methods to Control Fiscal Deficit
Better Approach Is That Resources Should Be Raised from Taxes, User Charges, Disinvestment Etc.
Expenditure Control Should Not Involve Cost Cuts on Important Social Schemes Like Mgnrega Etc.
The FRBM Review Committee headed by former Revenue Secretary, NK Singh was appointed by the government to review the implementation of FRBM.
The key recommendations of the committee are summarised below:
Revenue Deficit Target
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1. What are the objectives of fiscal policy? |
2. Why is fiscal policy important in the context of economic management? |
3. What are the components of fiscal policy? |
4. What are deficits and what are the different types of deficits? |
5. What were the key recommendations made by the NK Singh Committee in relation to fiscal policy? |
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