The Monthly Economic Review for February released by the DEA noted that the food and fertiliser subsidy from the budget estimate (BE) to the revised estimate (RE) of 2020-21 increased by Rs 3.7 lakh crore. After making adjustments for pre-payment of loans of Rs 2 lakh crore taken for paying subsidy of previous years, the balance Rs 1.7 lakh crore emerged as the additional subsidy paid in the pandemic year.This