Off-budget expenditure almost doubles at Rs 97,019 cr: Meena

The off-budget expenditure incurred by the government has almost doubled since 2006-07 to Rs 97,019 crore in 2008-09, Parliament was informed today.     

Off-budget expenditure, which includes subsidies on oil, fertiliser and food, stood at 1.79 per cent of GDP in the last fiscal, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.     

Meena said the off-budget expenditure was Rs 40,361 crore in 2006-07, 0.98 per cent of GDP, and subsequently increased to Rs 97,019 crore the last fiscal.     

To another query, Meena said the Indian economy will grow around 7 per cent this fiscal.     

For maintaining the growth momentum, the government has taken a slew of measures like providing fiscal stimulus packages and stimulating investment in infrastructure, Meena said.     

The government has also increased the budgetary allocation for 2009-10 plan and non-plan expenditure by 34 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively, over the Budget estimates of last fiscal.