DUSHANBE, November 2, Asia-Plus — The lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the Tajik parliament (Majlisi Oli) has endorsed the national budget for 2008. Tajik finance minister said that the national budget for 2008 stands at 4.557 billion somonis, which is 36 percent more than this year’s budget.
A regular sitting of the fourth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its chairman, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on November 2.
Following the approval of the agenda, Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov noted that the budget indicators reflect the principles of the economic and social development in the country.
The sitting focused mainly on the one issue – the draft law “On the National Budget of Tajikistan for 2008.”
The budget projects expenditure of more than 1.7 billion somonis (equivalent for more than $490 million) on social sphere, with 692 million somonis earmarked for public education alone, the minister said.
The budget earmarks 256 million somonis for the health sector, which is 44 percent or 78 million somonis more than this year. These funds will go to preventing increase in drug addictions, combating diabetes, tropical diseases and tuberculosis, according to Najmuddinov.
The minister noted than the 2008 budget projected expenditure of 1.8 billion somonis (equivalent to $523 million) on development of the real sector in the country’s economy, “which is 50 percent of the expenditure part of the budget.”
The budget earmarks 320 million for agrarian sector, which is 2.2 times or 144 million somonis more than this year’s indicators.
In 2008, 732 million somonis is expected to be spent for the energy sector, which 16.5 percent or 160 million somonis more than in 2007. 55 million somonis from these funds will go to financing construction of the Sangtuda-1 plant and 20 million somonis are earmarked for the Sangtuda-2 station. For construction of the Roghun hydropower plant, the 2008 budget projected 110.6 million somonis.
100 million somonis will be spent for development of the oil-and-gas sector.
The minister said the 2008 budget projected expenditure of 683 million somonis (equivalent to $198 million) on implementation of 41 investment projects in the country.
