The Ministry of Finance (MoF) on Monday submitted next year’s budget draft plan containing 428 billion Afghanis to the Wolesi Jirga, the Lower House of Parliament, for approval.
Afghanistan fiscal year starts on December 22.
The Meshrano Jirga or upper house on November 17 approved the draft budget plan for fiscal year 1399 with some suggestions as some senators called the plan ‘unbalanced and demagogic’.
According to Article 98 of the Constitution, the government’s budget and development programs are first referred to Meshrano Jirga and then to Wolesi Jirga for approval.
Acting Finance Minister Mohammad Hamayon Qayumi introduced the fiscal year 1399 draft budget plan to the lower house yesterday.
According to MoF, the next fiscal year’s budget draft includes 289 billion Afghanis for general and 139 billion Afghanis for development purposes.
Qayumi said next year’s budget was designed based on requirements, current resources, facts and financial limitations of the country.
He said the country’s next year’s revenue was expected 209 billion Afghanis which could provide 48 percent of all budget and the rest would be funded by the international community.
He said 63 billion Afghanis development budget was precautionary and 75 million Afghanis was non-precautionary.
The optional budget is provided from domestic revenue or form international community while non-optional budget relates to projects funded by donors, he said.
Most of the general budget is allocated to security, protection, public order, education and housing while most of development budget goes to housing, transport, telecommunication, energy, mines and public services, Qayumi concluded.
