Module 5 · Public Expenditure Intelligence

Where Does Your Tax Money Go?

Dissecting the Union Government's ₹48.2 Lakh Crore budget: mandatory debt servicing vs infrastructure investments vs social protection schemes, and calculating your personal citizen tax receipt.

TOTAL UNION EXPENDITURE

₹48.21 Lakh Cr

FY 2024-25 Budget Estimates (BE)

FISCAL DEFICIT TARGET

4.94% of GDP

₹16.14L Cr borrowed

DEBT SERVICING (INTEREST)

24.1 Paise per ₹1 spent

₹11.63 Lakh Cr interest liability

DIRECT UNION CAPITAL OUTLAY (CAPEX)

23.1 Paise per ₹1 spent

₹11.11 Lakh Cr direct (Effective Capex: ₹15.02L Cr)

Sectoral Allocations (Paise per ₹1 of Spending)

Select category to inspect

Interest Payments on Sovereign Debt

24.1p (24.1%)

₹1162.9k Cr (FY25 BE)Mandatory Debt / Statutory

Transport & Capital Infrastructure

11.3p (11.3%)

₹544.0k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)

10.4p (10.4%)

₹501.0k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Defence Forces & Capital Modernization

9.4p (9.4%)

₹454.8k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Finance Commission & Other Grants to States

8.7p (8.7%)

₹420.0k Cr (FY25 BE)Mandatory Debt / Statutory

Major Subsidies (Food, Fertilizer & Fuel)

7.9p (7.9%)

₹381.2k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Pensions (Defence & Civil Service)

5p (5.0%)

₹243.3k Cr (FY25 BE)Mandatory Debt / Statutory

Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development

3.1p (3.1%)

₹151.0k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Education, Skilling & Higher Research

2.6p (2.6%)

₹125.6k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Public Health & Medical Infrastructure

1.9p (1.9%)

₹91.0k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Internal Security (Police), Space & Administration

15.6p (15.6%)

₹745.7k Cr (FY25 BE)Discretionary Capital / Development

Mandatory Debt / Statutory24.1% of Budget

Interest Payments on Sovereign Debt

The single largest component of Central Government spending. Out of every ₹1 spent by the Union, 24.1 paise goes solely toward servicing accumulated national debt.

FY24 ACTUAL (RE)₹1063.9k Cr

FY25 BUDGET (BE)₹1162.9k Cr

Major Schemes & Sub-Allocations:

Servicing internal market loans

Special securities to NSSF

External sovereign debt servicing

Budget Credibility: Budget Estimates (BE) vs Actual Audited Spending

Source: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Finance Accounts

Financial Year	Budget Estimate (BE)	Audited Actuals	Deviation (%)	Fiscal Audit Analysis
FY 2023-24	₹45.03L Cr	₹44.43L Cr	-1.35%	Actual spending was tightly reined in to keep the fiscal deficit below 5.6% of GDP.
FY 2022-23	₹39.45L Cr	₹41.93L Cr	+6.29%	Actuals surpassed budget due to emergency fertilizer and food subsidy outlays following global geopolitical shocks.
FY 2021-22	₹34.83L Cr	₹37.94L Cr	+8.91%	Post-Covid fiscal expansion, clearing legacy Air India liabilities, and expanded free foodgrain distribution.
FY 2020-21	₹30.42L Cr	₹35.10L Cr	+15.37%	Pandemic relief packages (Atmanirbhar Bharat), bringing off-budget FCI food subsidies onto the Union balance sheet.