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Emerging Issues in Fiscal Sustainability in India: A Study of Central Government Finances, 1979–1980 to 2018–2019

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  • Anita Rath
  • Arpit Sachan

Abstract

The objective of the article is to examine the fiscal sustainability of the Indian central government’s finances in the era of rule-based fiscal policy. Asymmetric budgetary adjustment process and revenue–expenditure nexus are also analysed in this article by employing threshold autoregressive models/momentum threshold autoregressive models. Findings of the article reveal emerging issues in fiscal sustainability in India. The central government’s expenditure as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) has been falling continuously, leaving little room for further pruning. The current scenario of negative growth in central government’s revenue as a share of GDP, if not reversed, can become the Achilles heel of government finances in India. JEL Classification: E62, H600, H500, C32

Suggested Citation

  • Anita Rath & Arpit Sachan, 2022. "Emerging Issues in Fiscal Sustainability in India: A Study of Central Government Finances, 1979–1980 to 2018–2019," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 11(1), pages 39-68, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:smppub:v:11:y:2022:i:1:p:39-68
    DOI: 10.1177/2277978721989929
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fiscal policy; national budget; deficit and debt; national government expenditure; threshold cointegration/time-series models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models

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