Sanjay Rode

Maharashtra is highly urbanized and economically developed state in India. But now the growth rate is declining, and debt burden has increased in the state. CAGR has been used to examine the impact of FRBM act on fiscal deficit in the state. The RBI data from 1991 to 2016 show that the primary and fiscal deficit is increasing fast. The revenue and capital expenditure are increasing after 2003 FRBM act. The debt burden has increased in the state due to interest payment, pension liabilities, seventh pay commission to state employees, farm loan waiver scheme and infrastructure projects. State government took loans from different sources to finance its capital expenditure. The least square regression result shows that development expenditure in the state has declined very fast. The expenditure on health, education and social welfare of scheduled caste and tribe has declined in the state over the period of time. Government must improve revenue and capital receipts within the short period. Efforts must be made to reduce the debt burden on the state. Therefore, a number of alternative policies are required to improve revenue and capital receipts. State government must increase taxes on electronic and tobacco-related products. Taxes must be increased on commercial vehicles, luxury hotels, entry tax at hill stations, malls and purchase of diamonds and gold, petrol and diesel. Such sources will increase tax revenue to state government and fiscal deficit can be reduced to some extent.

In India, the urban local bodies do not have decentralization in various functions. Therefore, municipal corporations find various issues in functioning and revenue generation. It has resulted into either shortfall or low quality infrastructure services to people. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is developed as modern municipal corporation. Municipal corporation invested financial resources in development for civic infrastructure. Therefore, population, industries, educational institutions, markets, transport and other facilities are expanding very fast. The ordinary least square regression results shows that the municipal corporation has positive co-relation with revenue receipts from LBT, property tax and town planning. The revenue expenditure is positively co-related with municipal estate, public health and hospitals, primary and secondary education. The engineering work for poor is negatively correlated with revenue expenditure. The capital receipts are positively co-related with fire brigade, auditorium, sports and cultural programs and security deposits and water supply. The capital expenditure is positively co-related to women and child welfare schemes, primary education, environment monitoring. It is negatively co-related with dumping grounds. The municipal corporation must raise funds from capital market through municipal bonds. More investment must be made in civic infrastructure. Similarly, corporation must spend more funds on poor, welfare of women and children. Municipal corporation must monitor and protect environment. It must give more priorities for processing of solid and e-waste, protect local culture, primary and secondary education, health care for all and technology in provision of civic services. It must develop human resource and create best place to live in metropolitan region.