Members of Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlis Namoyandagon) of parliament have endorsed amendments proposed by the government to the country’s law on the national budget for 2020
A regular sitting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, presided over by it head, Muhammadtoir Zokirzoda, took place on June 30.
Presenting the amendments to lawmakers, Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda said that tax and non-tax receipts (government revenue not generated from taxes) to the national budget for 2020 had been projected to stand 2.239 billion somoni.
However, due to the negative impact of novel coronavirus on Tajikistan’s economy, the budget revenues target will not be fulfilled this year, the minister said.
Besides, some items of the budget expenditures, with the exception of social spending, will also be cut by 1.822 somoni, Qahhorzoda noted.
The government also cuts funding for loan- and grant-financed investment projects by 977 million somoni and for government-financed projects by 81 million somoni.
Meanwhile, to support the medical sector and raise wages of healthcare workers combating COVID-19 as well as to support sector affected by coronavirus pandemic and construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant, additional 1.9 billion somoni will be provided.
In view of the revision of revenue and expenditure parts of the national budget for 2020, the budget deficit is expected to amount to approximately 3.1 billion somoni.
As it had been reported earlier, the 2020 budget’s revenues had previously been projected to stand at 26.1 billion somoni and its expenditures had been projected to stand at 26.4 billion somoni.
The budget deficit was expected to amount to 349.6 million somoni, which is 0.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Social spending was projected to account for 44.4 percent (11.7 billion somoni) of budget allocations.
