KABUL (SW): The Wolesi Jirga (lower house) on Wednesday rejected the draft of budget for the next fiscal year worth AFN 360 billion.
As per the draft, AFN 267 billion are earmarked for expenditures and AFN 93 billion for development projects. Up to AFN 161 billion are forecasted to come from domestic revenue and AFN 179 billion via foreign aid. The budget deficit is around AFN 10 billion, which is AFN 69 million less than the previous year.
Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, speaker of the house, said on the occasion that the draft has shortcomings in at least 12 segments, and that is why except of just five green cards, rest of the present members have rejected it. He urged the Ministry of Finance not to delay salaries of public sector employees, and release fund for the previous year’s projects.
Amir Khan Yar, head of the WJ committee on financial affairs and budget, said on the occasion that a complex draft has been formulated, and it has not highlighted employment opportunities. He highlighted that a decrease of AFN 68 billion, not incorporating previous year’s projects in it, addition of 22,000 new posts and creating two new budget heads without the approval of the house are the reasons why it has been rejected.
He added there are a number of other technical errors and violations and uneven development approach in the draft budget.
ENDS
