Capex not at cost of welfare spending

The central government has proposed to achieve a fiscal deficit target of 4.4% of India's GDP for 2025-26

- Rhik Kundu

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the government's push for capital expenditure (capex), while maintaining fiscal discipline, has not come at the cost of public spending, emphasizing that allocations for social welfare and education have increased significantly.

Speaking at the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman said the effective capital expenditure for the next fiscal year, 2025-26, is projected to be at ₹15.48 trillion, against ₹13.18 trillion in the ongoing fiscal, which includes core capital outlays in the Union Budget, and grants and aid allocated to states for creating capital assets.