Proposed state budget increased to MVR 18.2 billion

The MVR 17.5 billion budget proposed by the government has been increased to MVR 18.2 billion following changes by the Budget Committee.

This has been confirmed to Sun Online by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed.

Riyaz said that the additions to the budget are MVR 400 million for independent institutions, and MVR 250 million for PSIP projects.

“This has been passed, and this was not opposed by any MP,” he said.

Riyaz said that efforts are ongoing now to compile the report, following which it will be sent to Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid later today.

Details of budget increases for individual independent institutions were not available at the time of press.

Pro-government MPs of the Budget Committee have requested the parliament to facilitate ways to increase income, if independent institutions are to be granted their request to increase budget.

The former government proposed a budget of MVR 16.4 billion for 2014, which was increased to MVR 17.5 billion following review by the new government.

Since yesterday, the Budget Committee has excluded the media and held its meetings in secret.