DUSHANBE, November 11, 2009, Asia-Plus — The lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the Tajik parliament has approved the national budget for 2010.
A regular sitting of the sixth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its speaker, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on November 11.
Presenting the 2010 budget bill, Finance Minister Safarali Najmiddinov said that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) was expected to reach 24.5 billion somoni in 2010, while in 2009, GDP amounted to 20.065 billion somoni.
The production development rate is projected to be 5 percent and inflation is expected to stand at 9 percent in 2010. The exchange rate of the U.S. dollar against the national currency, the somoni, is expected to be 1:5, according to the minister.
Najmiddinov noted that the budget earmarked 650 million somoni for construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP). In 2009, 533 million somoni were allocated for implementation of the Roghun hydroelectricity project.
The budget projects expenditure of 1.1 billion somoni in the social care sector, which is 145 million more than this year.
In 2010, 1.068 billion somoni are earmarked for the education sector, which is 126 million somoni more than in 2009.
In 2010, 404 million somoni is expected to be spent on the health sector, which is 82 million somoni more than this year.
The budget for 2010 also projects expenditure of 214 million somoni for development of culture and sports in the country.
The budget also provides for increase in expenditures on defense, public order, and keeping diplomatic missions of Tajikistan abroad.
Speaking at the session, MP Mirzosharif Islomiddinov proposed to review the excise rates for alcohol and tobacco products.
MP and the Communist leader Shodi Shabdolov noted that the budget authors had not taken into consideration real inflation and devaluation of the national currency.
After a comprehensive discussion, the deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon unanimously approved the law “On state budget of Tajikistan for 2010”.
