DUSHANBE, November 5, 2012, Asia-Plus — Relevant committees and commissions of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have begun considering a draft law on the national budget for 2013.
“The country is projected to finish next year with an operating deficit of 210.5 million somoni,” Safarali Gulov, Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“This year, the government budget deficit has amounted to 180 million somoni and I am sure that parliamentarians will have many questions regarding the 2013 budget deficit,” Gulov said, adding that parliament would consider the 2013 national budget most likely in the second half of November.
The Government budget balance, also commonly referred to as public budget balance, or public fiscal balance, is the overall result of a country”s general government budget over the course of an accounting period, usually one year. It includes all government levels (from national to local) and public social security funds. The budget balance is the difference between government revenues (e.g., tax) and spending. A positive balance is called a government budget surplus, and a negative balance is called a government budget deficit.
Indicators of the national budget for 2013 reportedly reflect the economic and social development of the country. Social spending is expected to account for more than 50 percent.
We will recall that a government session, presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, took place on October 31 and discussion of a draft law on the national budget for 2013 was a major topic of the meeting, the president’s official website reported.
Tajikistan’s national budget for 2013 is projected to stand at 12.1 billion somoni, which is 2 billion somoni more than the country’s budget for this year. In 2013, social spending is expected to amount to 6.4 billion somoni. These funds will be spent on the education and health sectors as well as social protection of the population.
The government expects the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to stand at 42.1 billion somoni and the year-end inflation for 2013 is forecasted at 9.0 percent.
