PNC MPs defend 'focused, project-oriented' 2025 budget
Ruling People's National Congress (PNC) members defended the budget, calling it “detailed and straightforward."
Top Stories
Parliament members began discussions on Wednesday on the government’s proposed MVR 56.6 billion budget for the coming year. Ruling People's National Congress (PNC) members defended the budget, calling it “detailed and straightforward,” while opposition members from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) raised concerns over a perceived lack of detail regarding salary expenditures and specific projects.
Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed argued that President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration aims to address significant national issues that previous administrations left unresolved. He noted that in past years, the budget outlined projects in rural areas, but this year’s proposal does not include the same level of specificity, as President Muizzu’s policy focuses on addressing national priorities over local projects.
Sattar highlighted the inclusion of measures designed to address housing needs and alleviate poverty, including:
-
Low-interest housing loans: The budget proposes interest-free loans and low-interest options to improve access to housing—a measure Sattar claimed had not been offered by past administrations.
-
Direct subsidies for Aasandha and essential needs: Instead of distributing subsidies and healthcare funds broadly, these will be allocated directly to individuals in need, addressing essential services for low-income families.
“This budget aims to elevate the people,” Sattar stated, while criticising previous budgets that, according to him, allocated insufficient funds to rural projects, creating what he described as “deceptive promises.”
Thinadhoo MP Saudulla Hilmee described the budget as productive, emphasising its potential to help the President deliver on his promises. He acknowledged that unlike in prior years, this budget does not detail individual village projects but instead allocates total amounts for development projects across all regions.
Hilmee noted this approach was more compatible with the country’s financial capacity, adding, “The budget deficit of MVR 9.3 billion is the lowest in recent years, making this an optimistic budget.”
Maafannu West MP Mohamed Musthafa Ibrahim voiced support, describing it as a budget crafted by experienced individuals. He pointed to sufficient allocations for key infrastructure projects, including the completion of the Thilamale Bridge and airport terminal expansion, which he stated would benefit all provinces.
Though details of specific local projects are limited, Musthafa defended the budget, stating, “This is a fully detailed budget aimed at addressing national priorities.”
