The Parliamentary Finance Committee announced, today, Monday, the start of voting on the items of the 2023 general budget.
The Information Department of the House of Representatives said in a statement: “The Finance Committee was held under the chairmanship of Representative Atwan Al-Atwani and the presence of its members, as part of the intensive meetings to complete the reading of the items of the federal general budget.”
The head of the committee stressed, according to the statement, “the need to proceed with realizing all the details contained in order to expedite their completion, and the committee decided to host the concerned parties in the ministries of finance and planning.”
The statement added, “The committee proceeded to read Article Two and its paragraphs related to the mechanism for covering the deficit through the abundance achieved from the sale of oil and other revenues, in addition to discussing the items for listing investment projects funded by grants and loans, expanding the investment door and involving the private sector, listening to proposals and maturing them with what consistent with the government program.
It pointed out, “The committee followed up studying the first axis on ongoing loans for the purpose of financing ongoing projects in ministries and governorates, rebuilding affected areas, and supporting the fields of education, health, and energy, in addition to the second axis on financing infrastructure projects under the (Iraqi, Chinese) framework agreement.” According to the borrowing to support energy projects, education projects to build (1000) model schools, and strategic and development projects consistent with the government’s priorities.
The statement continued, “The committee continued to read the third axis (new loans) regarding financing water desalination projects, projects of the Ministry of Health to establish centers for the diagnosis of cancer diseases, and projects of the Ministry of Electricity to finance the construction of combined-cycle stations in a number of regions.”
He pointed out, “the committee postponed voting within it on Articles (3-4), while voting was held on Article (5) of (Chapter Three), which includes limiting the disbursement from the appropriations of the main accounts for expenditures, and the expenditures of projects approved within the federal general budget.”
The statement confirmed, “The committee voted on Article (6) related to the authority to make transfers between spending units, and Article (7) related to emergency expenditures, and Article (8) about the use of revenues generated for the federal general budget, and Article (9) regarding allocations for the development of regions, and Article (9) regarding allocations for the development of regions, and Article (10) in the approving file for the implementation of the required services and Article (11) on vehicle fee revenues for the state treasury.
The statement concluded, “The committee postponed voting on articles (12-13-14-15-16), pending study and observations, while it voted on Article (17) and Article (18) of the law.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency