The central government's fiscal deficit climbed to Rs 81,014 crore (Rs 810.14 billion) for the first six months of the financial year 2003-04.

The deficit is 52.7 per cent of Rs 153,637 crore (Rs 1,536.37 billion), the budgeted estimate for the current year, according to the figures released by Controller General of Accounts.

Also Read Fiscal deficit to be contained: Govt

In the previous year period, the fiscal deficit was about 42.6 per cent of the budgeted estimate of that year.

Total receipts stood at Rs 1,36,087 crore (Rs 1,360.87 billion) during the six month period, representing 47.7 per cent of the budgeted figures of Rs 2,85,158 crore (Rs 2,851.58 billion) for the year 2003-04.

Revenue receipts stood at Rs 93,998 crore (Rs 939.98 billion), which was 37 per cent of the estimated Rs 2,53,935 crore (Rs 2,539.35 billion) for 2003-04; they were 37.5 per cent of the budgeted estimate in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Net tax revenue stood at Rs 65,057 crore (Rs 650.57 billion) during April-Septmber, which is 35.3 per cent of Rs 1,84,169 crore (Rs 1,841.69 billion) estimated for this year.

Total expenditure rose to Rs 2,17,101 crore (Rs 2,171.01 billion), which is 49.5 per cent of the budgeted estimate of Rs 4,38,795 crore (Rs 4,387.95 billion) for 2003-04.

In the previous year, total expenditure was 39.6 per cent of the budgeted estimate for the whole year.

Interest payments, one of the vital factors in fiscal deficit, however, were contained at Rs 51,806 crore (Rs 518.06 billion), which is 42 per cent of the budgeted Rs 1,23,223 crore (Rs 1,232.23 billion) for 2003-04.

In the previous year period, the interest payments were 41.7 per cent of the budgeted estimate for 2002-03.