States slashed capital outlay by 14% to plug fiscal deficit: Report

States which ended up spending significantly less than what they budgeted include Jammu & Kashmir (51 per cent), Assam (51 per cent) and Goa (50 per cent)

States spent 14 per cent less capital between 2015 and 2018 than they had budgeted to meet fiscal deficit targets, said a report. 

“Given the increasingly higher share of states in capital outlay in the country, it is important to note that cutback in capital outlay by states has been more than other components of their Budget. As the actual receipts have been significantly lower (9 per cent on average during the 2015-18 period), the states have had to cut their expenditure in order to meet fiscal deficit targets,” a study by Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research noted.

“During this period, committed expenditure