Once low-profile NSSF now a key player in Centre's finances for past 7 yrs

While govt's market borrowings have doubled from FY16 to FY22, NSSF loans to finance fiscal deficit have grown 11x

The National Small Savings Fund—the public account which collects money poured in by citizens in post office savings deposits, national savings certificates and public provident funds—is becoming more and more important for the annual expenditure of the central government. 

There are four data points that explain this. 

One, securities drawn against small savings now account for a massive 37 per cent of funds raised to finance the annual fiscal deficit (shortfall between receipts and expenditure).