Mumbai, Feb. 27 -- India's fiscal deficit for the first ten months of the current financial year reached Rs.9.81 lakh crore, accounting for 63% of the full-year budget estimate, according to government data released on Friday. This marks an improvement compared with the same period last year, when the deficit had touched 74.5% of the annual target.

Between April and January, the Centre's total receipts stood at Rs.27.09 lakh crore, representing 79.5% of the budgeted goal. Overall expenditure during the period was Rs.36.90 lakh crore, or 74.3% of the full-year target.

Revenue collections showed steady progress. Revenue receipts amounted to Rs.26.52 lakh crore, including Rs.20.94 lakh crore in tax revenue and Rs.5.57 lakh crore from non-t...