32. State Budget and Fiscal Management — Full Notes
राज्य बजट, राजकोषीय प्रबंधनSign up free to read more
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CORE Key Points at a Glance
- 1
Rajasthan Budget 2025-26 Total Outlay
- Modified Schematic Budget: ₹2,09,633.99 crore
- Largest budget in the state's history
- Presented by Deputy CM Diya Kumari on 19 February 2025
- 2
Revenue Receipts and Own Tax Revenue (2023-24)
- Total Revenue Receipts: ₹2,03,276 crore
- Own Tax Revenue: ₹94,086 crore
- SGST grew 12.50%; Stamps & Registration grew 12.12%
- 3
Fiscal Deficit vs FRBM Target (2023-24)
- Fiscal Deficit: ₹65,580 crore = 4.31% of GSDP
- FRBM target: 3% of GSDP — Rajasthan is above target
- Persistent breach driven by committed expenditure pressure
- 4
Revenue Deficit (2023-24)
- Revenue Deficit: ₹38,955 crore
- Indicates committed expenditure pressure on revenue account
- Government is borrowing to fund current (non-asset) expenditure
- 5
Total Fiscal Liabilities — Debt Sustainability Concern
- Total Fiscal Liabilities (2023-24): ₹5,71,639 crore
- Equals 37.57% of GSDP — above FRBM ceiling of 35%
- Rising debt-GSDP ratio is Rajasthan's primary medium-term fiscal risk
- 6
Capital Outlay — Investment Push (2023-24)
- Capital Outlay: ₹26,646 crore
- 34.6% increase over the previous year
- Signals infrastructure investment priority of current government
- 7
Committed Expenditure — The Fiscal Space Problem
- Salaries + pensions + interest payments ≈ 60% of revenue expenditure
- Leaves very limited discretionary fiscal space
- Old Pension Scheme (OPS) reversion is the single largest medium-term fiscal risk
- 8
Revenue Expenditure Sector Breakdown (2023-24)
- Social Services: 42.06% (Education, Health, Welfare)
- General Services: 32.07% (Salaries, Pensions, Interest)
- Economic Services: 25.87% (Agriculture, Industry, Infrastructure)
- 9
Revenue Receipts Coverage of Expenditure
- 75.49% of total expenditure in 2023-24 was met from revenue receipts
- Remaining 24.51% required borrowings
- Ratio below 100% = persistent structural revenue deficit
- 10
Rajasthan FRBM Act 2005 — Statutory Fiscal Framework
- Rajasthan Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2005 (राजस्थान राजकोषीय उत्तरदायित्व और बजट प्रबंधन अधिनियम, 2005)
- Mandates fiscal deficit target of 3% of GSDP and debt ceiling of 35%
- Requires Medium-Term Fiscal Policy Statement along with every budget
- 11
6th State Finance Commission — Devolution to Local Bodies
- 6th SFC recommendations determine devolution to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies
- Covers period 2020-21 to 2024-25 under Articles 243-I and 243-Y
- Fund ratio: GP:PS:ZP = 75:20:5; ₹621.07 crore transferred in 2024-25
- 12
World Bank SPFM Project — Fiscal Reform Support
- SPFM (Strengthening Public Financial Management): US$31 million
- Supports fiscal reforms in Rajasthan: treasury management, tax administration, procurement
- Specifically targets Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Treasury Single Account
- 13
Developmental Expenditure Share (2023-24)
- Developmental expenditure: ₹1,91,190 crore = 71% of total expenditure
- Remaining 29% covers general administration, interest payments
- High developmental share reflects social and infrastructure spending priorities
- 14
Own Tax Revenue — Key Heads and Non-Tax Sources
- Own Tax Revenue dominated by: SGST (state share), Stamps & Registration, Excise, Vehicle Tax
- Non-tax revenue includes: mining royalties (limestone, zinc, Barmer crude oil)
- IGNP water charges also a non-tax revenue source, though historically under-collected
PREDICTED Predicted RAS Questions
Based on PYQ trends and 2026 syllabus analysis
1 5M What is Rajasthan's fiscal deficit in 2023-24 as a percentage of GSDP and how does it compare with the FRBM target?
Model Answer
Rajasthan's fiscal deficit in 2023-24 was ₹65,580 crore, equal to 4.31% of GSDP — exceeding the FRBM target of 3% set under the Rajasthan Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2005. Key drivers include committed expenditure (salaries, pensions, interest) consuming ~60% of revenue expenditure.
~50 words • 5 marks
