Apr-Oct fiscal deficit at 79% of budget estimates

The Union government's fiscal deficit in the first seven months of the current financial year touched 79.3 per cent of the budget estimates for 2016-17. However, there was a surplus in the month of October because of which the proportion of deficit came down from 83.9 per cent till September. 

Moreover, expenditures were usually front loaded and more taxes came in the later part of the year, balancing the tilt towards higher deficit in the first half than the second half. 

The deficit at this point of time had stood at 74 per cent in the previous financial year.

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