DUSHANBE, June 13, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Deputies of Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament have endorsed amendments made to the 2012 Tajikistan national budget.

A regular sitting of the third session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on June 13.

Presenting the bill requiring amendments to the law on the 2012 Tajikistan national budget, Minister of Finance Safarli Najmiddinov noted that the amendments provided for exemption of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the National Guards from paying VAT and customs duties for delivery of arms and ammunitions as well as spare parts for their motor transport and helicopters.

The minister noted that the bill also provided for exempting the Ministry of Health (MoH) from paying VAT and customs duties for two tomographic scanners being delivered to the country.  The scanner costing more than 5 million somoni will be installed at the central hospitals in the cities of Qurghon Teppa and Kulob.

The bill also provides for exempting the delivery of one million fixed-line telephone sets totally costing 66 million somoni from payment of VAT and customs duties.  These fixed-line telephone sets will be installed in houses and apartments of vulnerable people, the minister noted.