BUDGET GLOSSARY
1. Union Budget
Union Budget is the most comprehensive report of the Government in which revenues from all
sources and outlays for all activities are consolidated. The Budget also contains estimates of the
Government's accounts for the next fiscal year called Budgeted Estimates.
1. Direct and Indirect Taxes
Direct taxes are the one that fall directly on individuals and corporations, For example, income
tax, corporate tax etc. Indirect taxes are imposed on goods and services. They are paid by
consumers when they buy goods and services. These include excise duty, customs duty etc.
1. GST
The constitution defines "Goods and Services Tax" as any tax on supply of goods, or services or
both except taxes on the supply of the alcoholic liquor for human consumption.
1. “Goods” means every kind of movable property other than money and securities but
includes actionable claim, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of
the land which are agreed to be severed before supply or under a contract of supply.
2. “Services” means anything other than goods, money and securities but includes activities
relating to the use of money or its conversion by cash or by any other mode, from one
form, currency or denomination, to another form, currency or denomination for which a
separate consideration is charged.
3. Customs Duty
These are levies charged when goods are imported into, or exported from, the country, and they
are paid by the importer or exporter. Usually, these are also passed on to the consumer.
1. Fiscal Deficit
When the government's non-borrowed receipts fall short of its entire expenditure, it has to
borrow money from the public to meet the shortfall. The excess of total expenditure over total
non-borrowed receipts is called the fiscal deficit.
1. Revenue Deficit
The difference between revenue expenditure and revenue receipt is known as revenue deficit. It
shows the shortfall of government's current receipts over current expenditure.
1. Primary Deficit
The primary deficit is the fiscal deficit minus interest payments. It tells how much of the
Government's borrowings are going towards meeting expenses other than interest payments.
1. Fiscal policy
It is the government actions with respect to aggregate levels of revenue and spending. Fiscal
policy is implemented though the budget and is the primary means by which the government
can influence the economy.
1. Monetary Policy
This comprises actions taken by the central bank (i.e. RBI) to regulate the level of money or
liquidity in the economy, or change the interest rates.
1. Inflation
A sustained increase in the general price level is measure using inflation rate. The inflation rate
is the percentage rate of change in the price level.
1. Capital Budget
The Capital Budget consists of capital receipts and payments. It includes investments in shares,
loans and advances granted by the central Government to State Governments, Government
companies, corporations and other parties.
1. Revenue Budget
The revenue budget consists of revenue receipts of the Government and it expenditure. Revenue
receipts are divided into tax and non-tax revenue. Tax revenues constitute taxes like income tax,
corporate tax, excise, customs, service and other duties that the Government levies. The non-tax
revenue sources include interest on loans, dividend on investments.
1. Finance Bill
The Bill produced immediately after the presentation of the Union Budget detailing the
Imposition, abolition, alteration or regulation of taxes proposed in the Budget.
1. Vote on Account
The Vote on Account is a grant made in advance by the parliament, in respect of the estimated
expenditure for a part of new financial year, pending the completion of procedure relating to the
voting on the Demand for Grants and the passing of the Appropriation Act.
1. Excess Grants
If the total expenditure under a Grant exceeds the provision allowed through its original Grant
and Supplementary Grant, then, the excess requires regularization by obtaining the Excess
Grant from the Parliament under Article 115 of the Constitution of India. It will have to go
through the whole process as in the case of the Annual Budget, i.e. through presentation of
Demands for Grants and passing of Appropriation Bills.
1. Budget Estimates
Amount of money allocated in the Budget to any ministry or scheme for the coming financial
year.
1. Revised Estimates
Revised Estimates are mid-year review of possible expenditure, taking into account the rest of
expenditure, New Services and New instrument of Services etc. Revised Estimates are not voted
by the Parliament, and hence by itself do not provide any authority for expenditure. Any
additional projections made in the Revised Estimates need to be authorized for expenditure
through the Parliament's approval or by Re-appropriation order.
1. Re-appropriations
Re-appropriations allow the Government to re-appropriate provisions from one sub-head to
another within the same Grant. Re-appropriation provisions may be sanctioned by a competent
authority at any time before the close of the financial year to which such grant or appropriation
relates. The Comptroller & Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee reviews these
re- appropriations and comments on them for taking corrective actions.
1. Outcome Budget
From the fiscal year 2006-07, every Ministry presents a preliminary Outcome Budget to the
Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for compiling them. The Outcome Budget is a progress
card on what various Ministries and Departments have done with the outlays in the previous
annual budget. It measures the development outcomes of all Government programs and
whether the money has been spent for the purpose it was sanctioned including the outcome of
the fund usage.
1. Guillotine
Parliament, unfortunately, has very limited time for scrutinizing the expenditure demands of all
the Ministries. So, once the prescribed period for the discussion on Demands for Grants is over,
the Speaker of Lok Sabha puts all the outstanding Demands for Grants, Whether discussed or
not, to the vote of the House. This process is popularly known as 'Guillotine'.
1. Cut Motions
Motions for reduction to various Demands for Grants are made in the Form of Cut Motions
seeking to reduce the sums sought by Government on grounds of economy or difference of
opinion on matters of policy or just in order to voice a grievance.
1. Consolidated Fund of India
All revenues raised by the Government, money borrowed and receipts from loans given by the
Government flow into it. All Government expenditure other than certain exceptional items met
from Contingency Fund and Public Account are made from this account. No money can be
appropriated from the Fund except in accordance with the law.
1. Contingency Fund of India
A fund placed at the disposal of the President to enable him/her to make advances to the
executive/Government to meet urgent unforeseen expenditure.
1. Public Account
Under provisions of Article 266(1) of the Constitution of India, Public Account is used in
relation to all the fund flows where Government is acting as a banker. Examples include
Provident Funds and Small Savings. This money does not belong to government but is to be
returned to the depositors. The expenditure from this fund need not be approved by the
Parliament.
1. Corporate Tax
This is the tax paid by corporations or firms on the incomes they earn.
1. Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT)
The Minimum Alternative Tax is a minimum tax that a company must pay, even if it is under
zero tax limits.
1. Disinvestment
By disinvestment we mean the sale of shares of public sector undertakings by the Government.
The shares of government companies held by the Government are earning assets at the disposal
of the Government. If these shares are sold to get cash, then earning assets are converted into
cash, so it is referred to as disinvestment.
