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AMMAN — Figures released in the 2016 state budget will be exact and realistic, as the government has no interest in “embellishing” them, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said Sunday.
Presiding over a General Budget Department advisory council meeting, Ensour called for speeding up procedures to prepare the 2016 draft general budget law and the draft independent public agencies budget law for the Cabinet to endorse them and refer them to Parliament.
Participants discussed the most important components of the draft laws and stressed the need to control public expenditure and to implement development projects that serve the national economy, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
One of the most important components of the 2016 draft budget is its conformity with the national programme for economic and fiscal reform, including the governorate development programme and the executive development programme for the years 2016 to 2018.
Petra said the 2016 budget can be described as development-centred, with the increase of capital expenditures that focus on the energy, transport, water, health, education, infrastructure, governorate development and information technology sectors.
At a press conference on Saturday, Ensour reiterated that the economy and the dinar remain strong.
He also noted the draft state budget law will show that the deficit is under control, revenues are higher and spending is up slightly due to natural growth.
The premier added that hosting around 1.4 million Syrians has had a negative impact on the trade balance, as the Kingdom has had to import more goods to meet the needs of the rising population.