Better to focus on growth than on fiscal deficit in current situation: CEA

Ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's second Budget, Chief Economic Adviser K V Subramanian on Friday suggested the government should focus on growth rather than being rigid on fiscal deficit in times of slowing economy.

The government can look at option of increasing market borrowing to fund higher expenditure by the government in 2020-21, he said adding that if need be, the government can resort to higher market borrowing this fiscal.

"So, we've delineated the overall stance that needs to be taken in times like this. India has been in such situations earlier as well. There's always a delicate balance between spurring growth and keeping the fiscal (situation) in order," Subramanian told PTI in an interaction.

"The view that we have articulated is that it's better at this point to lean on growth. When you look at the debt-to-GDP ratio, the denominator is the GDP, and our analysis has also shown that when GDP growth increases, the debt-to-GDP ratio falls as well," he said.

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