Chandigarh, Aug. 8 -- Punjab has the lowest capital expenditure among the major states in the country, despite a 38% increase in capital outlay this year.

The state government, in its budget estimates for the 2025-26 financial year, allocated Rs.10,302 crore for capital expenditure, up from Rs.7,445 crore in the previous year.

While the increase appears significant due to the low base effect, the state's budgeted capital expenditure is lower than that of all major states, including Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Odisha.

Capital expenditure is the government investment on the creation of assets that are long-term in n...