Next year’s draft budget lands in Meshrano Jirga for approval

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Finance (MoF) on Sunday dispatched draft budget for 2021 to Meshrano Jirga or upper house of the parliament and said that less than half of the budget was supported by national revenue.

In line with the law, the draft budget first land in Meshrano Jirga for approval and then sent to the Wolesi Jirga for endorsement. Afghanistan’s fiscal year begins from December 22.

Acting Finance Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, addressing lawmakers on the draft budget said that the package included 296 billion afghani general budget and 156 billion afghani development budget.

He said 216 billion afghani general and development budget for coming fiscal year would be allocated from domestic revenue while the remaining would be supported from foreign sources, including loan from the International Monetary Funds (IMF).

He said 73 percent general budget and 10 percent of development budget is supported from local revenue and the rest from foreign funds.

Arghandiwal said 40 percent revenue collected from custom departments has disappeared due to corruption and efforts to recover were underway.

He said in order to eradicate corruption, high tonnage scales were purchased for custom departments five years ago but they yet to be installed. The minister said efforts were on for installing scales and scanners for curbing corruption in custom offices.

In the draft budget for coming fiscal year, government prioritized working on water resources, construction of 43 dams, improve the capacity of mining, distribution of electronic Tazkera and improvement in judicial and justice system.

Arghandiwal handed over draft budget to Senate Chairman FazalHadi Muslimyar and said MoF was ready for hearing any suggestions and recommendations from senators on the draft budget.

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