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MVR 56.6 billion budget approved after omitting provision of project details

During the voting session, Manadhoo MP Husni Mubarak, representing PNC, proposed removing the committee's recommendation. The amendment was approved with 68 votes in favor, while 11 members voted against.

Malika Shahid
27 November 2024, MVT 14:35
Budget proposed to the parliament for next year -- Photo: Nishan Ali
Malika Shahid
27 November 2024, MVT 14:35

Parliament today approved the budget of MVR 56.6 billion without any further changes after the recommendation to provide details of the projects planned for next year was removed.

The budget had initially been passed by Parliament's Budget Committee on the condition that the details of the planned projects be submitted.

However, during the voting session, Manadhoo MP Husni Mubarak, representing the People's National Congress (PNC), proposed removing the committee's recommendation. The amendment was approved with 68 votes in favor, while 11 members voted against. With the amendment, the budget of MVR 56.6 was passed with a vote of 70 members.

The budget for next year is MVR 1.6 billion higher than this year's budget. This year's supplementary budget will increase the total budget to MVR 55 billion while the budget for next year is MVR 56.6 billion.

The government projects next year's revenue to be at MVR 39.8 billion, out of which MVR 2.6 billion is free aid.

Budget details

- Total budget: MVR 56.6 billion

- Revenue: MVR 39.8 billion

- PSIP: MVR 12.4 billion

- Recurrent Expenses: MVR 36 billion

- Deficit: MVR 9.4 billion

- GDP growth: 6.4 percent

Recommendations omitted when the budget was passed:

- Sort programs submitted to PSIP according to criteria

- Send a list of work to be completed before February next year

- Submit the projects signed by the government so far before March next year, identifying which projects will be implemented and which will not be implemented

- Submit quarterly progress report of the projects to the Parliament next year

Another recommendation made by the Budget Committee is to review measures taken by Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) against non-payers under the Tax Act and propose amendments to the Administrative Taxation Act to minimize challenges faced. It was also recommended that the challenges in targeting subsidies be identified and an implementation schedule be formulated and sent to parliament.

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