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Fiscal Policy

About Fiscal Policy

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What is Fiscal Policy

Fiscal policy, in simple terms, is an estimate of taxation and government spending that impacts the economy.
 
Types of fiscal policy
 
There are two types of fiscal policy:
 
Expansionary fiscal policy: This policy is designed to boost the economy. It is mostly used in times of high unemployment and recession. It leads to the government lowering taxes and spending more, or one of the two. The aim is to stimulate the economy and ensure consumers' purchasing power does not weaken.
 
Contractionary fiscal policy: As the term suggests, this policy is designed to slow economic growth in case of high inflation. The contractionary fiscal policy raises taxes and cuts spending.
 
What are the tools of fiscal policy?
 
There are two key tools of the fiscal policy:
 
Taxation: Funds in the form of direct and indirect taxes, capital gains from investment, etc, help the government function. Taxes affect the consumer's income and changes in consumption lead to changes in real gross domestic product (GDP).
 
Government spending: It includes welfare programmes, government salaries, subsidies, infrastructure, etc. Government spending has the power to raise or lower real GDP, hence it is included as a fiscal policy tool.
 
Fiscal policy objectives
 
Some of the key objectives of fiscal policy are economic stability, price stability, full employment, optimum allocation of resources, accelerating the rate of economic development, encouraging investment, and capital formation and growth.
 
Who sets fiscal policy?
 
In India, the Union finance minister formulates the fiscal policy.
 
What is the importance of fiscal policy?
 
Fiscal policy is a crucial part of the economic framework. In India, it plays a key role in elevating the rate of capital formation, both in the public and private sectors.
 
The fiscal policy helps mobilise resources for financing projects. The central theme of fiscal policy includes development activities like expenditure on railways, infrastructure, etc. Non-development activities include spending on subsidies, salaries, pensions, etc. It gives incentives to the private sector to expand its activities.
 
Fiscal policy aims to minimise income and wealth inequalities. Income tax is charged on all salaried persons directly proportioned to their income. Likely indirect taxes are also more in the case of semi-luxury and luxury items than that of necessary consumable items. In this way, the government generates a good amount of revenue and that also leads to a reduction in wealth inequalities.
 
A prudent fiscal policy stabilises price and helps control inflation.
 
Fiscal policy planning gives the larger chunk of funds for regional development so as to achieve a balanced regional development. It aims to reduce the deficit in the balance of payment.
 
Difference between monetary policy and fiscal policy
 
Monetary policy is concerned with the management of interest rates and the total supply of money in circulation. It is generally carried out by the RBI.
 
Fiscal policy, on the other hand, estimates taxation and government spending. It should ideally be in line with the monetary policy, but since it is created by lawmakers, people's interest often takes precedence over growth.

Latest Updates on Fiscal Policy

Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das, in a series of posts on X, on his last day of his six-year term as RBI Governor, also thanked the Finance Minister, various stakeholders and his colleagues

Updated On: 10 Dec 2024 | 11:51 AM IST

India's swelling urban middle class has been the engine of its growth for far longer than government capex has

Updated On: 05 Dec 2024 | 7:40 AM IST

These state-specific fiscal vulnerabilities need appropriate policy considerations to enable sustainable fiscal recovery and innovative ways to augment the revenue space

Updated On: 30 Oct 2024 | 11:56 PM IST

Gourinchas told a news conference on the IMF's latest forecasts that China's fiscal stimulus measures so far lacked detail and therefore were not included in the IMF's China growth outlook

Updated On: 23 Oct 2024 | 10:37 AM IST

Left-ruled Kerala and AAP-governed Punjab, the states that will take part in the conclave are Tamil Nadu (DMK) and the Congress-ruled states of Karnataka and Telangana

Updated On: 05 Sep 2024 | 2:50 PM IST

India's post-pandemic fiscal architecture should be anchored in debt and be holistic (encompassing Centre and states), dynamic (responsive to changing macro conditions), and conservative

Updated On: 04 Sep 2024 | 10:14 PM IST

India needs a sustainable and clear framework

Updated On: 07 Aug 2024 | 9:48 PM IST

Total government expenditure during the period was Rs 9.7 trillion, or about 20.4 per cent of the annual goal, lower than the Rs 10.51 trillion in the same period last year

Updated On: 31 Jul 2024 | 5:12 PM IST

India needs a fiscal road map consistent with the objectives of faster debt reduction

Updated On: 29 Jul 2024 | 10:16 PM IST

Asian Development Bank keeps FY25 growth projection unchanged at 7%

Updated On: 17 Jul 2024 | 11:18 PM IST

The ratio of short-term debt to foreign exchange reserves declined to 19.0 per cent at end-March 2024 from 22.2 per cent at end-March 2023

Updated On: 25 Jun 2024 | 8:13 PM IST

Empowering ward members (WMs) within village councils, who currently lack financial resources and act merely as rubber stamps, is another recommendation

Updated On: 10 Jun 2024 | 7:52 PM IST

Fiscal position should be improved with sustained growth

Updated On: 21 May 2024 | 9:16 PM IST

Consumption-based borrowing by the household sector makes investment capital even more expensive

Updated On: 11 Apr 2024 | 10:19 PM IST

With states expected to push the reforms agenda, a mechanism is needed for assessing their budget data

Updated On: 26 Mar 2024 | 10:21 PM IST

The dialogue between the Centre and the state must not stop merely because of the pending suit, the court said while stressing on the need to resolve the issue

Updated On: 06 Mar 2024 | 7:25 PM IST

Foreign flows will demand strong fiscal management

Updated On: 14 Feb 2024 | 10:48 PM IST

Within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising his predecessor Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha, the White Paper criticised almost all aspects of the UPA rule under Singh

Updated On: 09 Feb 2024 | 12:48 AM IST

According to budget projections, the fiscal deficit for the upcoming financial year (2025) will narrow to 5.1 per cent and GDP growth will remain between 6-7 per cent GDP

Updated On: 06 Feb 2024 | 9:55 AM IST

India has emerged as one of the most preferred destinations for global investors

Updated On: 01 Feb 2024 | 8:02 PM IST