Debate on State Budget 2022 commences at People's Majlis

The debate for the proposed state budget for 2022 has begun at the People’s Majlis.

Minister of Finance, Ibrahim Ameer presented the proposed state budget of MVR 36,925,424,524 to the parliament.

According to the proposal, the projected expenditure in total, inclusive of loan repayments as well as constitutions to the international financial institutions is set at MVR 36,925,424,524.

Inclusive of revenue and grants, the projected revenue in total is MVR 24.3 billion, meaning that an 11.1 percent of GDP deficit of MVR 9.7 million is predicted.

In order to finance the state budget 2022, MVR 13.4 billion is required in total including MVR 9.7 billion in deficit, MVR 2.9 billion in loan repayment as well as the MVR 769.2 million for sovereign development fund transfers and MVR 35.7 million for other purposes.

Highlighting that although the country’s economy had fallen into a dismal abyss due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has begun to bounce back throughout 2021. These positive changes are expected to impact the budget as well.

Minister Ameer expects the government to receive a total of MVR 24.3 billion as revenue and grants in 2022, including 15.4 billion as tax revenue and MVR six billion as non-tax revenue. MVR 2.9 billion has been anticipated to be received in grants and other sources of revenue.

The People’s Majlis forwarded the proposed state budget for 2022, for committee review. According to the timeline set for the review, Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla revealed that the budget committee has been given until November 22, to complete the review. Following this, parliamentarians will begin the debate on the committee report.

The budget is expected to be passed within November.