The federal government expenditure increased by 8.5 per cent in comparison to the 10 months of the previous FY. The Economic Bulletin released by the Ministry of Finance revealed that aggregate expenditure stood at Rs 824 billion in the last ten months of this fiscal year, Rs. 64 billion up from Rs 760 billion in the 10 months of the previous FY.
In this review period, current expenditure increased by 10.2 percent and capital expenditure increased by 10.3 percent to surpass Rs 630.2 billion and Rs 125.8 billion respectively. However, the financial expenditure fell by 7.4 percent to Rs 68.7 billion from Rs 74.2 billion.
The aggregate expenditure provided in Financial Comptroller General Office portal is Rs 932.1 billion till June 20. It implies that the expenditure is Rs 158 billion short to level up the previous FY aggregate expenditure as few days are left for the end of the current FY.
Similarly, the recurrent expenditure has stood at Rs. 708.6 billion, capital Rs. 150.1, financial expenditure Rs. 73.42 billion till June 20 which are Rs. 75.52 billion, Rs. 38.9 billon, Rs. 44.47 billion respectively short to level up the expenditure of the previous FY.
The FCGO data showed that capital expenditure of the government dived down in the last two consecutive years. In the FY 2016/17, the capital expenditure remained Rs. 208.7 billion in 2017/18, it remained Rs. 270.7 billion and in 2018/19 it remained Rs 241.5 billion. But in 2019/20, the expenditure dipped to Rs. 189.08 billion. Also, the expenditure in the current FY fell by far short of Rs. 38.9 billion to surpass the previous year aggregate expenditure. It will definitively impact the infrastructure development.
In this regard, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, said that the expenditure procedure slowed down as it came under the double trap of lock down enforced to curb spread of COVID-19. He said the country was under the lock down when this fiscal year began and again has been halted in the end of this fiscal year.
Meanwhile, he added that the ministry has been putting its all the efforts with all the implementing partners and concerned authority to achieve this year’s target.
Source : TRN,
