Parliament asks for twofold budget increase

Parliament Secretary General has asked the budget review committee to increase the parliament budget for 2014 by twofold of the amount proposed by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

Speaking at the parliament budget review committee today, Secretary General of the Parliament Ahmed Mohamed said that even though they had forwarded a budget of MVR 318 million to be included in the 2014 state budget, Finance Ministry had cut it down to MVR 149 million when it was finally proposed for parliament approval. He said an additional MVR 169 million needs to be added.

Parliament was granted MVR 161 million for 2013.

The Secretary General said the increase in next year’s budget largely accounts to the moving the parliament administrative work to the new 13 storey building due to be completed next year. He said that every permanent parliament committee will be allocated a meeting room and an office in the new building and that these rooms, amongst others, need to be furnished and equipped with the necessary electronic systems. The 13 permanent committees currently share 3 meeting rooms.

The new 13 storey parliament administrative building was constructed under a free grant extended by the Pakistani government.

He also said the extra expenses are also for the newly employed 100 security personnel, in addition to the new Sergeant at Arms that was appointed recently. He said the total number of parliament employees has increased to 153.

The current 77 parliament seats will increase to 85 seats for the 18th term of parliament to be inaugurated next year, which will also increase expenses.

Ahmed Mohamed said the getting adjusted to the new building alone will cost the parliament MVR 157 million. The parliament has already spent MVR 65 million for the new space, he said.

Some MPs of the budget review committee expressed concern over the large budget requested by the parliament for 2014. Chair of the committee MP Gasim Ibrahim told the committee that he does not believe that the parliament’s proposed budget is necessary. “This is too much. There is something wrong here,” MP Gasim said at the budget committee.