DUSHANBE, October 25, 2011, Asia-Plus — Parliamentary hearings on 2011 national budget took place on October 25.
According to Minister of Finance Safarali Najmiddinov, the revenue part of Tajikistan’s 2011 budget has been overfulfilled by 4 percent over the first nine months of this year. As of October 1, 2011, the revenue part amounted to more than 6 billion somoni.
“The 2011 budget has been overfulfilled by 4.4 percent over the same nine-month period mostly due to tax recipients and internal payments, which were 720 million somoni more than in the same period last year,” said the minister, “Over the report period, the budget has received 1.6 billion somoni in customs payments, which is 2 percent, or 37 million somoni, more than it was originally planned.”
Najmiddinov noted that over the report period, the Ministry of Finance has signed 15 agreements for total amount of more than 1.5 billion somoni for attraction of funds for implementation of joint investment projects. This amount includes 1.280 billion somoni (80 percent) provided in grants and 310 million somoni provided in loans. “Four other agreements for a total mount of 360 million somoni will be signed until the end of the year,” the minister added.
Najmiddinov noted that targets on four types of taxes have not been fulfilled and three districts – Panj district in Khatlon province, Mastchoh district in Sughd province and Dushanbe’s Shohmansour district – have failed to fulfill their budget targets for January-September 2011. Therefore, the budget has received 160 million somoni less.
“Over the first nine months of this year, tax arrears have increased by 73 million somoni,” said Najmiddinov, “A special commission has been set up at the Ministry of Finance to tackle the tax debt problem.”
In January-September 2011, the expenditure part of the budget has amounted to 5.9 billion somoni, which is 95 percent of the target for this period. “Compared to January-September 2010 the budgetary financing has increased by 1.8 billion somoni,” the minister stressed.
“Over the report period, social spending has amounted to 2.8 billion somoni, which is 600 million, or 7 percent, more than in the same period last year,” Najmiddinov said, noting that 14 million somoni have been allocated for raising pension and student grant rates starting from October 1.
The minister said that more than 220 social and economic facilities were being constructed in the country due to the budgetary funds. “Over the first nine months of this year, 1.2 billion somoni have been spent for construction of these facilities,” Najmiddinov said.
As of October 1, 2011, Tajikistan’s external debt amounted to 2.1 billion U.S. dollars, which is 33.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), headed.
