Since sustainable deficit could be different than the numeric fiscal rule, a review of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act is timely and important. However, such a review should bear in mind that macro-stabilisation is a central function and the burden of fiscal adjustment should squarely fall on the union government keeping state debt and deficits withinFRBM limits. Maintaining the higher tax to gross domestic product ratio of last year will be key for fiscal prudence in 2016-17.
