DUSHANBE, November 21, Asia-Plus - Committees and commissions of the parliament have endorsed a draft budget for 22007 as a whole and parliamentarians have proposed 42 different amendments to it, Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov said yesterday.   

He said state budget indicators reflect the economic and social development of the country.  Social spending will account for 40% of budget allocations.  

Najmuddinov noted that revenues are projected to be 3.195 billion somonis and the budget’s expenditure part will amount to 3.29 billion somonis with the budget deficit projected to be 95 million somonis.   “Compared to this year’s budget an increase in the deficit will be only 05% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP),” the minister said.  

Najmuddinov also noted that they plan reduce expenditures on public management personnel.  

Asked about financing of the construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station, the minister said that a certain amount had already been provided for the first stage of the implementation of the Roghun project.  “We are currently negotiating with the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development (ADB) the issue of providing preferential loans,” said Najmuddinov, “We hope to use these loans to complete the construction of the Roghun plant.”

In 2007, 572 million somonis, is expected to be spent on the energy sector.