Fiscal status: Centre’s fiscal deficit reaches 36.5% of FY26 target; tax revenue touches nearly half of budget estimate

The Centre’s fiscal deficit reached 36.5% of its full-year target by the end of the first half of FY26, a notable increase from 29% in the previous year. This gap, representing the difference between expenditure and receipts, amounted to Rs 5.73 lakh crore. Total receipts for the period stood at Rs 16.95 lakh crore, covering 49.6% of the annual budget.