KABUL (SW): After multiple debates over the draft Annual Budget 2018-19, the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) on Wednesday approved it with a majority vote with the exception of only 30 red cards.
The budget for the next fiscal year was approved with an increase of AFN 17 billion for development in comparison to the initial draft. Although, it was previously rejected citing issues including lack of balance and less allocations for development projects.
The total volume of the approved budget is AFN 377 billion of which approximately AFN 266 billion are allocated for expenditures and another AFN 110 billion for development.
Sadiq Ahmad Usmani, a member of the Finance and Budget Committee, said that the majority of the MPs had approved the budget in the parliamentary commission's meetings as well. According to Mr. Usmani, the numbers of offices for which operational funds were considered has been reduced from 10 to 6 and the emergency fund has been reduced from AFN 56 billion to AFN 54 billion. He added that this year, there is a deficit of AFN 14 billion in the development budget.
According to Mr. Usmani, AFN 161 billion of the national budget comes from domestic revenues while the rest will be paid via the international aid.
A number of MPs said that the budget is not balanced, saying that most of the development projects of the years 2016 and 2017, which have not been completed, are not included in the new budget for the FY 2018-2019. These MPs claimed that the Finance and Budget Commission of the WJ has made deals with the government.
However, Eklil Hakimi, the Finance Minister, said the FY 2018-19 budget has been created according to international standards, and it is balanced. According to Eklil Hakimi, 80 percent of unfinished development projects have been included in the budget, and another 20 percent will be funded by donors after the evaluation of the projects.
The FY 2018-19 Budget was rejected by the WJ a month ago, citing issues including lack of balance and less allocation of funds for development programs.
ENDS
