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Consider the following statements : I. Capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the assets of the Government. II. Borrowings and disinvestment are capital receipts. III. Interest received on loans creates a liability of the Government. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation
Capital receipts are those receipts of the government which either create liability or reduce the assets (physical or financial)[2], making Statement I correct. The main items of capital receipts include loans raised by the government from the public (market borrowings), borrowing by the government from the RBI, commercial banks and other financial institutions through the sale of government securities[2], and disinvestment of GOI shareholding in various Central Public Sector Enterprises is also a non-debt creating capital receipt for the Central Government[3]. This confirms Statement II is correct.
However, Statement III is incorrect. Interest received on loans is actually a revenue receipt for the government, not a capital receipt. It does not create any liability; rather, it represents income earned by the government on loans it has previously granted to others. Revenue receipts neither create liabilities nor reduce assetsâthey are regular income for the government.
Therefore, only Statements I and II are correct, making option A the right answer.
Sources- [1] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 4: Government Budgeting > 4.4 Budget Classification > p. 152
- [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 4: Government Budgeting > 4.4 Budget Classification > p. 152
- [3] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 5: Indian Tax Structure and Public Finance > 2. Non-Debt Creating Capital Receipts > p. 106
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a fundamental 'Concept Check' from NCERT Macroeconomics. It tests the core definitions of the Budget. If you understand the 'Asset-Liability Test' rather than rote memorizing lists, this is free marks. No current affairs required.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: In government finance, do capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the government's assets?
- Statement 2: Are borrowings and disinvestment classified as capital receipts in government finance?
- Statement 3: Does interest received on loans create a liability for the government in government finance?
- Provides a textbook definition: capital receipts either create liability or reduce assets (physical or financial).
- Lists typical capital receipt items (market borrowings, RBI borrowings, recovery of loans) that illustrate both liability-creating and asset-reducing cases.
- States capital receipts create liability or reduce financial assets and distinguishes debt-creating vs non-debt-creating receipts.
- Explains logic: loans must be repaid (liability); sale of assets removes future earnings (asset reduction).
- Explains loans received will have to be returned, explicitly linking such receipts to future liabilities.
- Mentions sale of government assets as a capital receipt that reduces future asset-based earnings.
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