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Has Fiscal Rules changed the Fiscal Behaviour of Union Government in India? Anatomy of Budgetary Forecast Errors in India

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  • Lekha S Chakraborty
  • Darshy Sinha

Abstract

We analyse the fiscal marksmanship of the macro-fiscal variables of Union Government ex-ante and ex-post to the formulation of fiscal rules in India. The fiscal marksmanship is the accuracy of budgetary forecasting. The fiscal rules have been legally mandated in India in the form of fiscal responsibility and budget management Act (FRBM Act) in 2003, with a criteria of fiscal-deficit to GDP threshold ratio of 3 per cent and gradual phasing out of revenue deficit. Using Theil¡¯s inequality coefficient (U) based on the mean square prediction error, the paper estimates the magnitude of errors in the budgetary forecasts in India during the period ex-ante and ex-post to fiscal rules, and also decomposed the errors into biasedness, unequal variation and random components. The decomposition of errors is to analyze the source of error in both the regimes. Our results found that in both regimes, the proportion of error due to random variation has been significantly higher, which is beyond the control of the forecaster. In other words, the error due to bias of the policy maker in preparing the Union Budget has been negligible in the period ex-ante and ex-post to fiscal responsibility and budget management (FRBM) Act in India. The estimates also showed that the errors due to policy maker¡¯s bias has comparatively reduced in the regime ex-post to fiscal rules. The analysis related to efficiency of forecasts showed that no significant improvement in forecasts over time. This result has significant policy implications especially in the context of repeal of 2003 FRBM Act in India and the Union Government has announced clauses for a ¡®New FRBM Act¡¯ in India in the Finance Bill 2018.

Suggested Citation

  • Lekha S Chakraborty & Darshy Sinha, 2018. "Has Fiscal Rules changed the Fiscal Behaviour of Union Government in India? Anatomy of Budgetary Forecast Errors in India," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(3), pages 75-85, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:jfr:ijfr11:v:9:y:2018:i:3:p:75-85
    DOI: 10.5430/ijfr.v9n3p75
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Morrison, Rodney J, 1986. "Fiscal Marksmanship in the United States: 1950-83," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 54(3), pages 322-333, September.
    2. Davis, J M, 1980. "Fiscal Marksmanship in the United Kingdom, 1951-78," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 48(2), pages 187-202, June.
    3. Ghate, Chetan (ed.), 2012. "The Oxford Handbook of the Indian Economy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199734580.
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    Cited by:

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