April -Oct fiscal deficit stands at Rs 2.45L crore

India's fiscal deficit for April to October was Rs 2,45,000 crore ($52.7 billion), or 61% of the full-year target, the government said in a statement on Monday. The tax receipts stood at Rs 2,14,000 crore and total expenditure was Rs 5,37,000 crore for the first seven months of 2009-10 fiscal year. In July, the government had forecast a fiscal deficit of Rs 4,00,00 crore, or 6.8% of gross domestic product, for 2009-10. Giving the central bank and the government headroom to withdraw some stimulus measures, the economy grew at the fastest pace in last six quarters in the three months leading up to September this year.