now turn to the Budget Estimates for 2010-11.

The Gross Tax Receipts are estimated at Rs 7,46,651 crore. The Non Tax Revenue Receipts are estimated at Rs 1,48,118 crore. The net tax revenue to the Centre as well as the expenditure provisions in 2010-11 have been estimated with reference to the recommendations of the Thirteenth Finance Commission.

The total expenditure proposed in the Budget Estimates for 2010-11 is Rs 11,08,749 crore, which is an increase of 8.6 per cent over the total expenditure in BE 2009-10.The Plan and Non Plan expenditures in BE 2010-11 are estimated at Rs 3,73,092 crore and Rs 7,35,657 crore, respectively. While there is a 15 per cent increase in Plan expenditure, the increase in Non Plan expenditure is only 6 per cent over the BE of previous year. With this level of Plan expenditure, I am confident that the total Plan expenditure would be very close to 100 per cent of the expenditure envisaged in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

Fiscal prudence

Honourable Members will agree that fiscal policy has to be guided by the required framework for fiscal prudence. In the Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement presented along with Budget 2009-10, I had laid down a road map for fiscal deficit. I am happy to report that in keeping with my commitment, I have been able to present the Budget for 2010-11 with a fiscal deficit of 5.5 per cent.

In the Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement being presented to the House today, along with other Budget documents, the rolling targets for fiscal deficit are pegged at 4.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent for 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively. These projections improve upon the recommendations of the Thirteenth Finance Commission.

While presenting the Budget for 2009-10, I had expressed my concern about the high level of fiscal deficit. I had also stated that the Government will address this issue in right earnest to come back to the path of fiscal consolidation at the earliest.

I am happy to report that against a fiscal deficit of 7.8 per cent in 2008-09, inclusive of oil and fertiliser bonds, the comparable fiscal deficit is 6.9 per cent as per the Revised Estimates for 2009-10.

Both these deficit figures are based on the revised GDP numbers published by the Central Statistical Organisation and include what were earlier referred to as below the line items.

This marks an improvement of about one per cent in fiscal deficit during the current year. I have made a conscious effort to avoid issuing bonds to oil and fertiliser companies.I would like to continue with this practice of extending Government subsidy in cash, thereby bringing all subsidy related liabilities into our fiscal accounting.

Fiscal deficit

The fiscal deficit of 5.5 per cent of GDP in 2010-11 works out to Rs 3,81,408 crore. Taking into account the various other financing items for fiscal deficit, the actual net market borrowing of the Government in 2010-11 would be of the order of Rs 3,45,010 crore.

There will be enough space to meet the credit needs of the private sector. The Government will plan the borrowing programme in consultation with the RBI.