but ahead of the covid dix-neuf pandemic itself the deux mille vingt vingt et un budget would have also had to reckon with the deficits to be inescapably entailed by the running of the metro express the operating and uncovered costs of côte d' or the maintenance late delivery and repair costs of the safe city project an increase of the minimum wage a large and growing trade deficit see table i a fast deteriorating current account balance a weakening export performance and a growing dependence on offshore influxes to keep our overall balance of payments positive and our forex reserves growing as an aside it is pertinent to underline that forex reserves were at least partly growing in rupee terms because it was losing value all through deux mille dix-neuf neuf point neuf pour cent v s sterling trois point six pour cent v s euro six point un pour cent v s usd cinq point cinq pour cent v s indian rupee and even quatre point huit pour cent v s the south african rand