New Delhi, March 18 -- 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 Rs.15.48 trillion, against Rs.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.

"But all this is being done without reducing social welfare measures," she said adding allocations towards social...