The Tamil Nadu government is poised to secure a substantial loan of ₹39,000 crore during the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025-26. This significant borrowing aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) official market borrowing schedule for states, outlining their financial plans for the upcoming period.
States, including Tamil Nadu, typically secure these essential funds by issuing bonds known as State Development Loans (SDLs). The Reserve Bank of India meticulously conducts the auctions for these bonds, which come with diverse repayment tenures. Importantly, states are responsible for repaying both the principal amount and accrued interest upon maturity. For Tamil Nadu, these SDLs constitute a considerable portion of its total financial obligations.
The Union government plays a crucial role in setting the borrowing limits for all states. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, this ceiling is capped at 3% of the projected Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Additionally, states can secure an extra 0.5% of their GSDP if they commit to implementing vital reforms in electricity distribution and enhancing their intra-state power transmission infrastructure.
During his 2025-26 Budget speech, Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister, Thangam Thennarasu, confirmed that the state’s borrowing and repayment estimates have been meticulously aligned with the Union government’s overarching borrowing limits. He outlined plans for the Tamil Nadu government to borrow a total of ₹1,62,096.76 crore throughout 2025-26, while also making repayments amounting to ₹55,844.53 crore. This strategy would result in the state’s total outstanding borrowing reaching ₹9,29,959.3 crore by March 31, 2026.
A positive highlight from Tamil Nadu’s 2025-26 Budget estimates is the projected Debt to GSDP Ratio of 26.07%. This figure comfortably remains within the 28.70% target recommended by the 15th Finance Commission, indicating responsible fiscal planning. As of July in the current fiscal year (2025-26), the state’s gross market borrowings, according to RBI data, totaled ₹31,300 crore. Once repayments were factored in, the net borrowing for the period stood at ₹17,550 crore.
The provisional data from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reveals encouraging trends in Tamil Nadu’s finances. Up to August of fiscal year 2025-26, the State’s Own Tax Revenue (SOTR) — which accounts for a substantial 75.3% of its total revenue receipts — reached ₹74,942.53 crore. This marks a notable increase compared to ₹72,098.52 crore recorded during the same period last year. Overall, Tamil Nadu’s total revenue receipts for fiscal 2025-26 (until August) stood at ₹1,08,460.85 crore, representing 32.71% of the projected Budget estimates.
However, the provisional figures also highlight some financial challenges. The revenue deficit, indicating that the state’s expenses have surpassed its income, amounted to ₹25,686.65 crore for fiscal 2025-26 (until August). Concurrently, the fiscal deficit – the gap between total receipts and total expenditure – reached ₹37,082.06 crore.