Question for Modi govt: How to use $ 24 billion windfall from RBI?

The Finance Ministry is keen to use the transfer to cut its budgeted borrowings, though it's yet to make a final decision on how to spend the amount

India’s government is deciding whether to use a Rs 1.76 trillion ($24.4 billion) windfall from the central bank to reduce its borrowing or provide a stimulus to an economy that’s slowing sharply.

The Reserve Bank of India’s board approved the record payout on Monday, which includes a dividend of Rs 1.23 trillion and Rs 526.4 billion from its surplus capital, according to a statement. The dividend payment includes Rs 280 billion already transferred to the government in February.

The transfer -- which rivals the stimulus that some Group of 20 nations pumped into their economies during the global financial crisis