Revised budget to be sent to parliament today

Minister of Finance Abdulla Jihad has said that efforts are ongoing to send the budget for 2014, proposed by the previous government, after revision to the parliament today.

Jihad told Sun Online that the total budget figure will change with the changes made to the budget to suit the requirements of the new government.

“We have to facilitate fulfilment of pledges made by the new government. This includes several projects, subsidies and allowances,” he said.

He said that priority was given when revising the budget to accommodate the campaign promises made by President Abdulla Yameen.

“We are trying to send the budget to the parliament with these changes today. It will be very different from the earlier budget,” he said.

He said that efforts were also made to reduce the deficit, as requested by the President.

The President has requested to deduct MVR 1 billion from recurrent costs in the MVR 16.4 billion budget proposed by the government of former President Mohamed Waheed.