Govt public debt in Q3 up 4% at Rs 28 lakh cr

The total public debt of the Government increased by 4 per cent to Rs 28,62,624 crore during the third quarter of the current financial year from Rs 27,53,378 crore in the previous quarter.

"The increase in debt was primarily on account of dated securities," the Finance Ministry said in its quarterly report on Public Debt Management.

The Government's debt constitutes both internal and external debt.

While the Government's papers of various maturities period, including the securities issued to international financial institutions, are classified as internal debt, the external debt are that from multilateral and bilateral agencies, including IMF.

Internal debt in Q3 constituted 89.6 per cent of public debt, compared to 89.2 per cent at end of the second quarter.

The outstanding internal debt of the Government stood at Rs 25,64,983 crore in Q3, thereby constituting 36.6 per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) compared with 35 per cent in the previous quarter.

The report further said all the key deficit indicators of the central Government during April-November 2010, as percentage of budget estimates (BE), were lower than their levels during the corresponding period of the previous year on account of higher revenue collections.

"While the increase in non-tax revenue was primarily on account of telecom receipts, tax revenue was aided by buoyancy in both direct and indirect taxes," it added.

On the foreign capital inflows, the report said, the inflows on account of foreign investment were considerably higher during the months of September and October 2010 mainly on account of increase in portfolio investment by FIIs.

"The month on November 2010, however, saw net outflow of foreign investment due to FIIs investment," it added.

The rupee appreciated during the quarter from Rs 44.93 per dollar at end-Sep 2010 to Rs 44.81 per dollar at end-December 2010, the report said.