Eye on fiscal deficit: Govt tells ministries to keep expenses in check

Departments to seek additional funds only for unavoidable expenditure

Ahead of the Budget session of Parliament, the finance ministry on Wednesday asked departments and ministries to restrict their expenses within the allocated limits. They have been advised to seek additional funds only for unavoidable expenditure. This move is to keep the fiscal deficit within the target of 6.8 per cent for FY22.

Inviting proposals for the third and final batch of supplementary demands for grants for FY22, the department of economic affairs, in a memorandum, said departments and ministries should only propose additional expenditure in cases where advance from the contingency fund has already been granted. They may also