Interim Budget: India plans to allocate about 4 trillion rupees ($48 billion) for food and fertiliser subsidies in the next fiscal year. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution estimates the food subsidy bill to be 2.2 trillion rupees, a 10% increase from the current fiscal year. Additionally, the fertiliser subsidy for the next fiscal year is expected to be 1.75 trillion rupees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to win a third term in the upcoming elections. Maintaining the subsidies is crucial for managing India s fiscal deficit.
The food department requires additional funds of nearly ₹5,600 crore for its flagship food welfare programme that it recently extended by another five years, ahead of the general election
Food and fertiliser subsidies account for about one-ninth of India s total budget spending of Rs 45 lakh crore during the current fiscal year that ends on 31 March, , food subsidy, fertiliser subsidy