Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday defended the fiscal deficit figures in the union budget and termed it as “absolutely realistic”.
“I think this budgetwe have been absolutely realistic both on the score of revenue generation and on the score of what we can spend or borrow, so figures therefore are absolutely realistic keeping in mind the economy and also that is why we were able to give path,” she told a press conference here.
She said: “...We have given a realistic picture, we have been able to give a figure of 3.5 (fiscal deficit target) for the coming fiscal.”
On inflation management, the Minister said except for the seasonal perishable commodities which make up for significant size in the basket, except for seasonal fluctuation, prices of most goods and also particularly food products
have been kept well within the acceptable norms, “so we are hopeful”.
To a question on Yes Bank allegedly facing stress, she said, “Reserve Bank is the regulator of Banks..I’m not naming any particular bank, I’m sure Reserve Bank is playing its role as regulator- monitoring and taking care of banks.”