We have reprioritised spending to be more productive: Expenditure Secretary

If you look at the growth target of 10 per cent nominal GDP, what we expect is something like 6-6.5 per cent real GDP growth, and inflation of 3.5-4 per cent

Expenditure Secretary T V SOMANATHAN joined his new position in the finance ministry in mid-December, as Budget preparations were in full swing. Speaking to Arup Roychoudhury in this first print interview since taking on the role, Somanathan says the government will provide more to key rural schemes like MNREGA and PM-KISAN, if needed, and that expenditure is being aimed towards sectors which will help kick-start growth and consumption. Edited excerpts:
 
How realistic do you think the overall Budget numbers are?
 
I think they’re actually extremely realistic in the sense that they are neither over-optimistic nor are they pessimistic. They actually represent a