Tuesday, November 05, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The Ministry of Finance submitted the budget of 1393 to the parliament. According to the authorities of the ministry, the main objectives of the budget are sustainable economic growth, increase of revenues, reduction of poverty and social welfare.
BNA commentator who closely monitors the financial issues of the country writes on that regard, the ministry of finance recently submitted the draft of national budget of 1393 of the country to the parliament, which includes both ordinary and developmental budgets and amounts to 444 billion Afghanis. From the figure, 275 billion Afghanis of which is ordinary budget and 160 billion Afghanis constitutes the developmental budget. The budget of 1393 is 95 billion Afghanis more than the budget of the previous year that shows 28% increase.
The authorities of ministry of finance have said that the budget of 1393 are following the objectives such as sustainable economic growth, increasing revenues, providing employment opportunities, reduction of poverty, boosting infrastructural sectors such as agriculture, education, industries, and sustainable and balanced social welfare.
The economic experts consider the budget of 1393 different of the previous years’ budgets, because the 1393 determines the destiny of Afghanistan. During the year presidential elections will be hold, the process of handing over security responsibilities to Afghan security forces finalized and the program of foreign troops withdrawal from the country implemented.
Therefore, the year will be a year of full challenges for Afghan authorities and state organs.
The budget of 1393 should be prepared and practiced in a way to meet the challenges and proves that the Afghans are successful in management and leadership of economic affairs. In the past, a number of people’s representatives in parliament complained that the budgets of previous year were imbalanced and suspended for several times before approval and even faced some changes.
With overseeing the budget for the next year (Afghan calendar), it becomes clear that the budget mostly focused on security and political issues which is appreciable but it should not be forgotten that education and media can play a significant role in awareness of people and progress of the country. In addition, agriculture plays a great role in economic development of the country and health guarantees a sound society, therefore, should be ignorant in preparing the budget. On the hand the budget should be design in a way in, order the priorities be consider and more focus should be make on the most underdeveloped regions to ensure balanced economic growth across the country.
It should be say that Afghan currency and foreign currencies have a prime role in implementing the budget, while during the last two years, on the eve of foreign forces withdrawal from the country Afghan currency-exchanging rate declined against foreign currencies. Therefore, the relevant authorities considering this issue should adapt necessary measures to prevent the decline of exchange rate of Afghani because it affects the realization of developmental projects.
The Afghan people hope their representatives in parliament avoiding all differences assess the budget according to the practical and urgent needs of the country and move toward the approval of that. At the meantime, the people’s representatives should not ignore the non- implementations of the previous budgets, considering the previous shortages approve the current budget.
It is a clear fact that preparing a balanced budget will lead to good governance, rule of law and boosting infrastructural and agricultural projects. T. Nemat
