States, schemes and disaster management bear cost of fiscal discipline

Farm sector spend took a hit, as PM-KISAN beneficiaries remained largely unidentified

The union government maintained the fiscal deficit to 3.4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018-19 by rolling over food subsidies and squeezing expenditure on certain schemes or transfers, data released by Controller General of Accounts (CGA) shows. Provisional accounts for FY19 were released last week. The government resorted to cuts to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore in agriculture, Rs 26,000 crore under transfers to states, nearly Rs 7,000 crore in defence among others to stay on the path of fiscal consolidation. 

Revenue expenditure (mainly schemes and subsidies) was nearly Rs 1.32 trillion short of the