KABUL - The Wolesi Jirga on Wednesday rejected with a majority vote the draft budget for the current fiscal year due lack of balance and other serious problems.

Afghanistan’s fiscal year begins on December 22. The draft was approved by the Council of Ministers and then Meshrano Jirga sent it to Wolesi Jirga with some recommendations on Dec 9.

Wolesi Jirga’s Finance Commission head Amir Khan Yar, who placed the draft before the session, claimed that there was no balance in provincial allocations. The draft contains no appropriate measures to create job opportunities.

New projects implementation had not been proposed, the lawmaker explained, saying the loans payable to some companies that did not receive funds last year had not been mentioned.

Speaker Abdur Rauf Ibrahimi said most of house commissions had rejected the draft budget and some even suggested a discussion on the issue with the Ministry of Finance.

Of the 158 Wolesi Jirga members present during the session, only three approved the draft but the rest voted against it by raising red cards.

The Ministry of Finance says the general budget is worth $275 billion and development spending $183 billion -- 70 percent coming from foreign aid.

Under Article 98 of the Constitution, the general and development budgets are prepared in light of Meshrano Jirga recommendations before it is sent to Wolesi Jirga for a final decision. (Pajhwok)