New Delhi,March,13,2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said there will be no shortage of fertilisers for farmers and that the government has made adequate provisions in the latest supplementary demands for grants. She made the statement while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on March 13.
She also said the proposed Rs 1 lakh crore Economic Stabilisation Fund will provide fiscal space for the government to respond to global economic challenges.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the Economic Stabilisation Fund will help India manage unexpected global shocks. She noted that the fund would act as a buffer against external pressures such as the current situation in West Asia.
The finance minister said the Rs 1 lakh crore fund will give the government fiscal headroom to address global headwinds and maintain economic stability.
During the discussion on the second batch of supplementary demands for grants, the government sought the Lok Sabha’s approval to spend an additional Rs 2.81 lakh crore in the current financial year.
After accounting for additional receipts of Rs 80,000 crore budgeted for the fiscal year, the net additional cash spending is expected to be Rs 2.01 lakh crore.
Sitharaman said the fiscal deficit for the financial year 2025-26 will remain within the Revised Estimates. The fiscal deficit has been estimated at 4.4 percent of GDP, the same level as the Budget Estimates for the year.
She also clarified that the supplementary demands do not increase expenditure beyond the original Budget Estimates for 2025-26.
According to the Revised Estimates for the current fiscal year, total government expenditure has been reduced to Rs 49.65 lakh crore from the Budget Estimate of Rs 50.65 lakh crore.
Data from the Controller General of Accounts shows that the government had spent Rs 36.90 lakh crore by January.
The supplementary demands include several key allocations. These include Rs 1 lakh crore for establishing the Economic Stabilisation Fund, Rs 19,230 crore for fertiliser subsidy, and Rs 23,641 crore for subsidies under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
Another major allocation of Rs 41,822 crore has been proposed for the defence ministry.
Sitharaman assured the House that the government has ensured sufficient availability of fertilisers for farmers and that adequate financial provisions have been made to support the sector.
