Parliament Minority Leader and MP for Eydhafushi Constituency Ahmed Saleem (Red Wave Saleem) has called on the government to revise and resubmit the proposed state budget for 2021.
He made the comments as the legislative body began its deliberation and debate on the proposed budget of MVR 34.8 billion for next year.
MP Saleem said that the state budget should be approved in a way that most benefits the people of the country. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the economic outlook of the country and that the people are now suffering the consequences.
MP Saleem said that this is not the time to include huge infrastructural projects in the budget and the state should use its budget to improve the economic outlook of the country and its people.
He also said that the forecasted income included in the proposed state budget is not guaranteed and these incomes have never come through in the past years as well. He added that with the proposed budget, the country is looking at a deficit of MVR 20 billion.
Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer had said that the MVR 34.8 billion included an expenditure of MVR 33.3 billion and that MVR 1.5 billion would be spent on paying back sovereign debts.
Ameer said the economic difficulties that presented itself this year would continue next year and projected that the state would receive MVR 17.8 billion in income and free aid.
