Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda says Tajikistan’s national budget for 2019 will be 23.774 billion somoni, which is 2.7 billion somoni more than the volume of the national budget for this year, He noted that the budget indicators reflect the economic and social development of the country.
A regular sitting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on November 23.
Presenting the draft law on the national budget for 2019 to lawmakers, Qahhorzoda said revenues are projected to be 23.774 billion somoni and expenditures are projected to stand at 24.165 billion somoni.
Social spending will account for more than 40 of budget allocations, with 18.2% earmarked for public education alone.
The budget reportedly earmarks 4.4 billion somoni for public education and more than 1.7 billion somoni are expected to be spent on the health sector.
Besides, the budget projects expenditure of 3.7 billion on somoni on social insurance and social protection.
In 2019, 740 million somoni are expected to be spent on cultural activities and 962 million will be spent on forestry, environmental protection activities as well as housing and communal services.
The budget earmarks more than 4.1 billion somoni for the energy sector and 915 million somoni for the agrarian sector, fishing and hunting.
The budget projects reportedly expenditure of 150 million somoni in industrial and construction sectors, more than 1.7 billion in transportation and communication sector and some 46 million somoni in other sector of the economy and service.
Expenditures on public management bodies are projected to stand at more than 2.1 billion somoni.
The budget also earmarks 1.2 billion somoni for payment of the external debt and some 222 million somoni for payment of the internal debt.
The volume of other expenditures is determined at some 2.6 billion somoni.
According to the minister, the maximum volume of the budget deficit is projected to be equal to 0.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The volume of the Presidential Reserve Fund for 2019 was reportedly endorsed at 350 million somoni.
