What is Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF)?

About Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF):

• It refers to the growth in the size of fixed capital in an economy. Fixed assets/capital are tangible or intangible assets produced as outputs from production processes that are used repeatedly or continuously, for more than one year.
• It consists of resident producers’ investments, deducting disposals, in fixed assets during a given period. It also includes certain additions to the value of non-produced assets realized by producers or institutional units.
• Private GFCF can serve as a rough indicator of how much the private sector is willing to invest. Overall GFCF also includes capital formation as a result of investment by the government.
• It matters because fixed capital, by helping workers produce a greater amount of goods and services each year, helps to boost economic growth and improve living standards. 
• In other words, fixed capital is what largely determines the overall output of an economy and, hence, what consumers can actually purchase in the market. 
• Developed economies such as the U.S. possess more fixed capital per capita than developing economies such as India.
• Statistics:
  • GFCF in the Indian economy increased significantly from INR 32.78 lakh crore in 2014-15 to INR 54.35 lakh crore in 2022-2023.
  • This surge in capital formation reflects substantial investments in infrastructure, industry, and public goods.