According to data for the three quarters in question prepared by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), the fiscal deficit at the end of December at Rs 64,628 crore was 58.1 per cent of the budgeted estimate of Rs 1,11,275 crore for 2000-01. The corresponding figure for the last year was 83.9 per cent.

Although December was a bad month for revenues, total revenue receipts during the nine-month period stood at Rs 1,32,691 crore as against Rs 1,15,075 crore - an increase of about 15 per cent. Till the end of December, the Centre had collected 65.1 per cent of the revenue fixed at the time of the presentation of the Budget. Last fiscal, the Centre realised 62.9 per cent of the total revenues by December. Total receipts, which include revenue and non-revenue realisation, totalled Rs 1,40,193 crore.