Data Alert
Apr-Aug major subsidies spend dn 16% as food outgo nearly halves
This story was originally published at 07:54 IST on 3 October 2025
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NEW DELHI – The government's expenditure on major subsidies in the first five months of 2025-26 (Apr-Mar) dipped 15.8% on year to INR 1.504 trillion, data from the Controller General of Accounts released Tuesday showed. Expenditure on major subsidies in Apr-Aug accounted for 39% of the Budget target of INR 3.834 trillion for FY26.
The government's food subsidy bill nearly halved on year to INR 644 billion in Apr-Aug as against INR 1.138 trillion spent in the corresponding period a year ago. Fertiliser subsidy, on the other hand, rose 40% on year to INR 855 billion.
For FY26, the government has pegged an expenditure on major subsidies at INR 3.83 trillion, compared with INR 3.88 trillion spent in FY25.
The following table details major subsidies in Apr-Aug (in INR billion):
| Apr-Aug FY26 | Apr-Aug FY25 | Budget Estimate FY26 | Year-on-year % change | |
| Food | 644.08 | 1,137.91 | 2,034.20 | (-)43.4 |
| Fertiliser | 854.63 | 611.7 | 1,678.87 | 39.7 |
| Petroleum | 5.06 | 36.64 | 121 | (-)86.2 |
| Total | 1,503.77 | 1,786.25 | 3,834.07 | (-)15.8 |
End
Reported by Priyasmita Dutta
Edited by Tanima Banerjee
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