Govt looks to push infra spending, has cleared MSME dues: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the ministries have cleared most of the dues of goods and services to suppliers, mostly MSMEs, and the remaining payments will be done in the next few days.

The minister also said that ministries have been asked to provide detailed capital expenditure plans for the next four quarters as the government looks to boost growth with spending push.

After meeting infrastructure ministries, Expenditure G C Murmu, who was also present at the press conference, said that out the total outstanding dues of about Rs 60,000 crore, Rs 40,000 crore has been cleared.

And the remaining amount, which is not involved in litigation, will be cleared by the first week of October, he said.

This meeting assumed significance amid concerns raised by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that their payments were not being cleared by the different wings of the government within time.

"Government should not sit on over due payments," Sitharaman said, adding the money should go to people who have been waiting for it.

The money should reach the ground, she added.

The secretary further said that most infrastructure ministries have reached 50 per cent of their capex target for the current fiscal.

Sitharaman also said that the government's capital expenditure was on track and Budget estimates would be met.

The consumption was on rise and credit offtake was growing, which together should result in "bouyancy" in the economy, she added. To a query on the fiscal discipline with rebate in corporate tax and expenditure, the minister said the government will reconcile fiscal deficit numbers later.

The finance minister will be meeting heads of public sector enterprises on Saturday to review capital expenditure plans.