Centre's fiscal deficit in February at 82.7% of revised estimates

New Delhi: The centre's fiscal deficit was 82.7% of the revised estimates at the end of February, due to increased expenditure and high transfers to states, according to the official data released Monday. In February, the Centre transferred 2.42 lakh crore to states against 95,082 crore in January, 2022 and 35,281 crore in February 2021, by far the largest monthly release. The budget presented on February 1, from the previously budgeted 6.8%, has changed the target for the fiscal deficit to 6.9% of GDP. According to the CGA data, the deficit stood at 13,16, 595 crore at the end of February. The total receipts for the central government were 18.27 lakh crore or 83.9% of the total receipts of Budget 2021 -- 22. It was 88.2% of the RE of 2020 -- 21 in the corresponding period. The government's total expenditure was 31.43 lakh crore or 83.4% of the current year's RE. It was 81.7 of RE in the corresponding period last fiscal. The government has a revised fiscal deficit target of 6.9% of GDP for FY 22, despite the dampening effect of the ongoing Ukraine crisis, according to experts.