Indicators of Tajikistan’s public budget for 2023 that was endorsed by Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament on December 1, 2022 reportedly reflect the economic and social development of the country.
Social spending will account for more than 50% of budget allocations (18.6 billion somonis), with 7,210,335,000 somonis earmarked for public education alone.
The budget earmarks 3,343,077,000 somonis for the public health system.
In 2023, 4,898,631,000 somonis will be spent on social insurance and social protection.
The budget projects expenditure of 5,991,355,000 somonis in the fuel and energy sector.
The budget earmarks 1,620,739,000 somonis for the agrarian sector and fishing.
In 2023, 259.782 million somonis is expected to be spent on the industry and construction sectors.
The budget earmarks 2,887,352,000 somonis for the transportation-communication system.
The budget projects expenditure of 1,494,348,000 million somonis for sports and culture.
The budget earmarks 1,696,585,000 somonis for forestry, environmental protection, as well as housing and utilities.
In 2023, 1,661,605,000 somonis is expected to be spent on public management personnel.
The budget projects expenditure of 2,944,846,000 somonis on defense, law enforcement agencies, and judicial system.
The budget earmarks 128.526 million somonis for other sectors of the economy and services and 3,966,504,000 somonis for other expenses.
The budget projects expenditure of 3.4 billion somonis for the country’s external debt service.
The budget’s revenues are projected to stand at 37,072,965,000 somonis, which is 4.1 billion somonis or 12.3 percent more than the revenue part of the last year’s budget.
It is to be noted the 2023 budget revenues are compared to the amount of budget 2022 revenues projected in November 2021.
Meanwhile, in October last year, amendments were made to the country’s law on the national budget for 2022 and under those amendments the amount of revenues was reduced from 33 billion somonis to 32.6 billion somonis.
Under the mentioned amendments, the amount of the 2022 budget expenditures was increased from 33.6 billion somonis to 34.2 billion somonis.
Thus, as a result of amendments made to the country’s law for 2022 in October last, the 2021 budget deficit increased from 624 million somonis (0.6% of the country’s GDP) to 1.624 billion somonis (1.4% of the country’s GDP).
The budget expenditures are projected to stand at 38,103,705,000 somonis, which is 4.5 billion somonis or 13 percent more than the expenditures of the public budget for 2022.
Thus, the budget deficit is expected to stand at 1,030,749,000 somonis (0.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product).