Opposition proposes 13 amendments to cut 5 billion from budget
If these amendments are passed, next year's budget will be reduced to MVR 37.4 billion.
By
Ahmed Naif
The opposition PPM-PNC coalition has proposed major amendments to reduce MVR 5 billion from the MVR 42.8 billion approved by the parliament's budget committee for next year.
As the deadline to submit the budget amendment expired on Tuesday, the opposition PPM-PNC coalition has submitted a total of 13 amendments to the budget. The amendments proposed by the opposition are mainly aimed at disbanding some state-owned companies and allotting funds meant for them for other purposes.
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Amendment proposed to provide a direct subsidy for fishermen and increase funds for the construction of the new Arabiyya School building.
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A total of MVR 5.38 billion has been proposed to be deducted from the budget to reduce travel and other expenses for political workers.
Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam and Maavashu MP Mohamed Saeed presented the amendment to the budget on behalf of the opposition. Most of the amendments were proposed by Saeed. The proposed amendments are as follows:
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1-
Deduct MVR 225.5 million from salaries of political appointees and allocate it to fishermen's subsidy
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2-
Ensuring cheaper fuel availability to fishermen and allotting fisheries subsidies directly to fishermen
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3-
Reduction of MVR 1.7 billion allocated for contingency budget to MVR 100 million
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4-
Reduction in travel budgets to MVR 104 million
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5-
Dissolve the company Ocean Connect and transfer MVR 3 million from its budget to Arabiyya School building construction
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6-
Dissolve Fund Management Corporation and allocate MVR 7 million from its budget for Arabiyya School building
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7-
Dissolve Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation and allot MVR 26.9 million from its budget for Arabiyya School building
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8-
Dissolve Agronet company and allocate MVR 9 million from its budget for Arabiyya School building
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9-
Reduce MVR 73.5 million from the foreign ministry's budget and allocate the amount to Arabiyya School construction.
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10-
Abolish Ombudsperson's Office For Transitional Justice and allocate MVR 8.7 million of its budget to Arabiyya School construction.
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11-
Adding an additional MVR 8.8 million to the new building of Arabiyya School
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12-
Reducing the special budget from MVR 6.8 billion to MVR 3.8 billion
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13-
25% deduction from the MVR 764 million allocated for the capital of state-owned companies
If these amendments are passed, next year's budget will be reduced to MVR 37.4 billion.
Opposition PNC vice-president and party's PG leader, Maduvvari MP Adam Shareef Umar, said the opposition would vote on the budget only if the proposed amendments were passed. "I don't think the present budget will improve the overall economy of the country for the benefit of the people," he said.
Other amendments to the budget was proposed by Maafannu Central MP Ibrahim Rasheed, who supports Speaker Mohamed Nasheed amid the factional conflict in the leading party MDP. What he proposed was:
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To send details of the MVR 1.2 billion in the budget allocated to state companies to the parliament
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To include in detail the quantum of funds disbursed as capital to each of these companies
The budget for 2023 has set a target of MVR 32 billion in revenue. The budget debt or deficit for the next fiscal year is expected to amount to MVR 8.4 billion.
Parliament is now scheduled to vote on Monday, 28 November, to pass the budget.
