Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Senate Approves Draft Budget for Next Year

Senate Approves Draft  Budget for Next Year

KABUL - The Meshrano Jirga -- or upper house of parliament -- on Tuesday approved the draft budget for the next financial year, beginning on December 21. The draft budget was presented to the Senate on Nov. 6.
For the next fiscal year, the government has proposed development spending worth 170 billion afghanis (about $3.20 billion) and a general budget of 196 afghanis, according to the Senate Budget and Finance Commission.

The security sector has been allocated 39.6 percent of the budget, with government departments and natural resources getting 15.6 percent of the total outlay. Similarly, 15.1 percent of the proposed funds will go to the education sector and 6.9 percent to agriculture and rural development.

According to the draft budget, 3.8 percent will be spent on public health, 4.2 percent on good governance and rule of law, 2.8 percent on the economy and 1 percent on social security. The presidential discretionary fund has been projected at 8.3 percent.

Maulvi Abdul Wahab Irfan, the economic commission head, said they had suggested a pay raise for provincial council members and enhanced stipends for martyrs’ families as well as the disabled. He added the government had also been asked to resolve the transport problem of some governors and district chiefs.

But a number of senators faulted the draft budget for paying inadequate attention to the less developed provinces and failing to strike a balance among the provinces in terms of reconstruction and uplift.

In response to a volley of queries from members, Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal said the budget was essentially based on available resources and development priorities.

Several ministries would implement projects in the less developed provinces, for which an additional amount of $3 million had also been set aside, the minister explained. The money will be spent on projects identified by residents and public representatives.

He rejected senators’ concerns that the money could once again end up in the pockets of several individuals. Zakhilwal asked the parliamentarians to share with him if they had proofs of fund embezzlement at the provincial level.

Asked about the major projects planned for next year, he replied: “We are dependent on international aid and foreigners don’t want to invest in huge schemes … otherwise we would have moved closer to self-sufficiency.”

About the poor quality of some projects, Zakhilwal said all ministries had been directed to blacklist the contractors with low capacity. The Ministry of Finance was exploring ways of cutting government expenditure, he added.

Of the 55 members present during the session, 53 voted in favor of next fiscal year’s budget, which will now go to the Wolesi Jirga along with Senate’s suggestions. (Pajhwok)