Traditionally The Term Public Finance Has Been Applied To The Package Of Those Policies And Operations Which Involve The Use Of Tax And Expenditure Measures, While Budgetary Policy Is An Important Part To Understand The Basic Problems Of Use Of Resources, Distribution Of Income, Etc. There Is A Vast Array Of Fiscal Institutions Tax Systems, Expenditure Programmes, Budgetary Procedures, Stabilization Instruments, Public Debt Policies, Level Of Government, Etc., Which Raise A Spectrum Of Issues Arising From The Operation Of These Institutions. Further, The Existence Of Externalities, Concern For Adjustment In The Distribution Of Income And Wealth, Removal Of Poverty, Etc., Require Political Process For Their Solutions In A Manner Which Combines Individual Freedom And Justice. The Problem Of Allocation Of Resources Between Public Goods And Private Goods Is A Perennial Problem. Then In A Democracy There Is A Political Process Of Voting To Decide About The Budgetary Policy To Be Adopted. Therefore, Now More Attention Is Paid To A Wider Coverage Of Government Activities Relating To Financial Aspects And The Subject Is Known As Public Economics .The Present Book Is An Excellent Presentation Of Fiscal Institutions And A Careful Analysis Of The Issues Underlining Budgetary Policies In General And Indian Experience In Particular. Based On The Curriculum Prescribed By The University Grants Commission (Ugc), It Ideally Caters To The Academic Needs Of Postgraduate Students Of Public Economics. Apart From The Traditional Topics Of Public Finance, I.E. Taxation, Public Expenditure, Public Debt, Fiscal Policy, Federalism, Etc., The Book Contains Chapters On Public Sector Vs. Private Sector, Theory Of Public Choice And Changing Perspective About The Role Of The Government. Special Focus Of The Book Is On Indian Public Finances Including The Fiscal Crisis Of 1991 And Fiscal Sector Reforms.

Over the past 25 years, India's economy grew at an average real rate of close to 6 percent, with growth rates in recent years accelerating to 9 percent. Yet by 2005-06, the general government debt-to-GDP ratio was 34 percentage points higher than in the 1980s. The authors examine the links between public finances and growth in the post-1991 period. They argue that the main factor in the deterioration of government debt dynamics after the mid-1990s was a reform-induced loss in trade, customs, and financial repression taxes. Over time, these very factors plus lower entry barriers have contributed to stronger microfoundations for growth by increasing competition and hardening budget constraints for firms and financial sector institutions. The authors suggest that the impressive growth acceleration of the past few years, which is now lowering government indebtedness, can be attributed to the lagged effects of these factors, which have taken time to attain a critical mass in view of India's gradual reforms. Similarly, the worsening of public finances during the late 1990s can be attributed to the cumulative effects of tax losses, the negative growth effects of cuts in capital expenditure that were made to offset the tax losses, and a pullback in private investment (hence, growth and taxes), a situation which is now turning around. Insufficient capital expenditures have contributed to the infrastructure gap, which is seen as a constraint especially for rapid growth in manufacturing. The authors discuss ongoing reforms in revenue mobilization and fiscal adjustment at the state level, which if successfully implemented, will result in a better alignment of public finances with growth by generating further fiscal space for infrastructure and other development spending.