Excise duty cut in oil to impact fiscal deficit badly: Moody's

NEW DELHI: Rating agency Moody's has sounded a be aware of caution that any aid in excise responsibility on petrol and diesel would adversely impact fiscal deficit except it is matched by a commensurate cut in expenditure.

Pressure has been mounting at the govt to chop excise responsibility on petrol and diesel to carry down their costs that have long gone up following a spike in crude costs within the world marketplace.

According to govt estimates, each rupee cut in excise responsibility on petrol and diesel will lead to a revenue loss of about Rs 13,000 crore.

Observing that fiscal consolidation can be closely watched for assigning the sovereign score, Moody's stated India's largest challenge is its fiscal energy which is quite low as compared to 'Baa' rated friends.

"Any reduction in revenues, including through the excise duty on petroleum and diesel, would most likely need to be offset by a comparable reduction in expenditure in order to achieve fiscal consolidation," Moody's Investors Service VP & Senior Credit Officer, Sovereign Risk Group, William Foster informed PTI.

Moody's had final 12 months upped India's sovereign score for the first time in over 13 years to 'Baa2' with a solid outlook, announcing that enlargement prospects have progressed with persisted financial and institutional reforms.

"India's largest credit score challenge is its fiscal energy ... due to persistently massive general govt fiscal deficits and a high debt burden. For instance, India's general govt debt-to-GDP ratio is just about 70 according to cent, relative to the 'Baa' peer group median of about 50 according to cent.

"Moving ahead, keeping up the government's commitment to fiscal consolidation will probably be an important contributor to the strengthening of India's fiscal dynamics and overall sovereign credit score profile," Foster stated.

The govt plans to carry down the fiscal deficit - the space between overall expenditure and overall revenue - all the way through 2018-19 to three.three according to cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), from three.53 according to cent in final fiscal.

Asked concerning the 0.25 according to cent hike in rate of interest by the RBI after an opening of over 4 years, Foster stated from a sovereign score standpoint it will help in containing inflation and ensuring extra sustainable enlargement.

"The MPC's fresh monetary coverage choice is in step with the RBI's inflation concentrated on goals, which helps the credibility of Indian monetary policymaking and contributes to a extra sustainable enlargement dynamic by focusing on the anchoring of inflation expectations," he stated.


The RBI hiked rates bringing up rising concerns about inflation stoked by emerging world crude oil costs in addition to domestic price increases.


The price of Indian basket of crude surged from $66 a barrel in April to round $74 currently.


Retail inflation jumped to a four-month high of four.87 according to cent in May on dearer food items equivalent to end result, vegetables and gasoline.


Excise duty cut in oil to impact fiscal deficit badly: Moody's Excise duty cut in oil to impact fiscal deficit badly: Moody's Reviewed by Kailash on June 17, 2018 Rating: 5
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