Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

image

FRBM Act

About FRBM Act

Facebook IconLinkedIN Icon

What is FRBM Act

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM Act), 2003, establishes financial discipline to reduce fiscal deficit.
 
When was the FRBM Act enacted? Who introduced it in India?
 
The FRBM Bill was introduced by the then finance minister, Yashwant Sinha, in 2000. The Bill, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2003, became effective from July 5, 2004.
 
What are the objectives of the FRBM Act?
 
The FRBM Act aims to introduce transparency in India's fiscal management systems. The Act’s long-term objective is for India to achieve fiscal stability and to give the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) flexibility to deal with inflation in India. The FRBM Act was enacted to introduce more equitable distribution of India's debt over the years.
 
Key features of the FRBM Act
 
The FRBM Act made it mandatory for the government to place the following along with the Union Budget documents in Parliament annually:
 
1. Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement
 
2. Macroeconomic Framework Statement
 
3. Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement
 
The FRBM Act proposed that revenue deficit, fiscal deficit, tax revenue and the total outstanding liabilities be projected as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium-term fiscal policy statement.
 
FRBM Act exemptions
 
On grounds of national security, calamity, etc, the set targets of fiscal deficits and revenue could be exceeded.
 
How effective has the FRBM Act been?
 
Several years have passed since the FRBM Act was enacted, but the Government of India has not been able to achieve targets set under it. The Act has been amended several times.
 
In 2013, the government introduced a change and introduced the concept of effective revenue deficit. This implies that effective revenue deficit would be equal to revenue deficit minus grants to states for the creation of capital assets. In 2016, a committee under N K Singh was set up to suggest changes to the Act. According to the government, the targets set under FRBM Act previously were too rigid.
 
N K Singh Committee's recommendations were as follows:
 
Targets: The committee suggested using debt as the primary target for fiscal policy and that the target must be achieved by 2023.
 
Fiscal Council: The committee proposed to create an autonomous Fiscal Council with a chairperson and two members appointed by the Centre (not employees of the government at the time of appointment)
 
Deviations: The committee suggested that the grounds for the government to deviate from the FRBM Act targets should be clearly specified
 
Borrowings: According to the suggestions of the committee, the government must not borrow from the RBI, except when...
 
a. the Centre has to meet a temporary shortfall in receipts
 
b. RBI subscribes to government securities to finance any deviations
 
c. RBI purchases government securities from the secondary market

Read full FRBM documents

Latest Updates on FRBM Act

The Centre on Monday authorised the release of tax devolution of Rs 1,39,750 crore to states for June.

Updated On: 10 Jun 2024 | 11:12 PM IST

The cabinet also approved the proposal for the "adaptation of NCERT textbooks with modifications in certain subjects" to be carried out by the Meghalaya Board of School Education

Updated On: 16 Nov 2023 | 9:25 PM IST

The Finance Ministry is likely to stick to its internal fiscal consolidation roadmap

Updated On: 19 Jan 2023 | 11:19 PM IST

Former finance commission chairman calls for having a fiscal council to debate policy issues

Updated On: 04 Oct 2022 | 11:52 PM IST

The net borrowing ceiling of states is mandated by the FRBM Act. However, the upper limit of what their contingent liabilities can be is set by states' own legislative bodies

Updated On: 30 Aug 2022 | 9:12 PM IST

Among other things, making the direct tax regime less confusing and bringing in expenditure reform are crucial challenges for the central government

Updated On: 10 Aug 2022 | 10:18 AM IST

For two years running, the finance ministry has excused itself from providing a projection of its fiscal consolidation plan

Updated On: 22 Feb 2022 | 10:58 PM IST

While the Centre has an escape clause to deviate from the fiscal consolidation road map by 0.5 percentage point of GDP in times of exigency, states were not given any such escape clause

Updated On: 17 Mar 2021 | 5:09 PM IST

The Centre's current deficit glide path reveals a conservative stance on growth

Updated On: 09 Mar 2021 | 11:56 PM IST

Budget 2021 must overhaul the existing FRBM Act to set feasible targets on deficit and debt

Updated On: 29 Dec 2020 | 10:57 PM IST

Centre may have to amend FRBM Act once again to achieve this, which isn't an issue as such an amendment does not require a two-third or three-fourth majority

Updated On: 26 Dec 2020 | 1:06 AM IST

Strengthening the revenue forecasting system will yield better results than fixing deficit targets within a range

Updated On: 20 Oct 2020 | 11:59 PM IST

The 15th Finance Commission Chairman had pushed for a range instead of a fixed number, saying it is more realistic and will lead to less accounting engineering

Updated On: 16 Sep 2020 | 9:26 PM IST

The state gets additional elbow of Rs 35,000 crore amid lockdown

Updated On: 22 Jun 2020 | 4:26 PM IST

If we turn protectionist, I don't know how can we be an exporting power. Self-sufficient exporting powerhouse is an oxymoron," he said.

Updated On: 04 Jun 2020 | 3:03 AM IST

Addressing a webinar organised by EY India, Subramanian further said while labour reforms were necessary, the way they have been done by some states have undermined basic protections to workers

Updated On: 04 Jun 2020 | 12:43 AM IST

The motto of the government earlier was "jaan hai to jahaan hai", but now it is "jaan bhi jahaan bhi", the PM said

Updated On: 12 Apr 2020 | 12:15 AM IST

It has already exhausted the escape clause, which allows for a maximum deviation of 0.5% from consolidation road map

Updated On: 08 Apr 2020 | 5:43 PM IST

Its objectives are clear. But the reality in recent years has not cooperated with the government's plans

Updated On: 28 Feb 2020 | 9:53 AM IST

Budget estimates fiscal deficit to be at 3.4%, within permissible limit of FRBM target

Updated On: 18 Feb 2020 | 8:37 PM IST