West Bengal's fiscal performance in the first half of the 2024-25 fiscal reflects a growing imbalance between revenue and capital expenditure, aligning with broader trends observed across major Indian states, according to rating agency CareEdge. While the state recorded a 13.5-per cent year-on-year increase in revenue expenditure, its capital expenditure grew by only 7.7 per cent, significantly falling short of its budgeted targets, the agency's latest report on state and central finances said. Amit Mitra, principal chief advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state's finance department, had recently said Bengal's capital spending had increased from Rs 2,226 crore in 2010-11 to a budgeted amount of Rs 35,865.55 crore in 2024-25. "Revenue expenditure of states remained strong in H1 FY25. In aggregate, the top 20 states in our sample utilised 41.5 per cent of their budgeted revenue expenditure in H1 FY25, slightly higher than the 40 per cent utilisation in H1 FY24," the ...