Ammon News - Local revenue jumped by a staggering JD652.2 million in the first four months of the current year to a total of JD2.566 billion, indicating an increase of 34.1 percent from the figure reported in the same period in 2020.

According to Ministry of Finance's data released Wednesday, public revenue surged by 30.5 percent in the January-April period to a total of JD2.635 billion.

The ministry said the remarkable growth in domestic revenue is driven by improved and efficient tax collections and a crackdown on tax evasion and avoidance.

The data showed an increase in tax revenues by about JD423 million, or 27.3 percent, compared to the same period last year, reaching JD1.973 billion with sales and income taxes collections soaring by 29.7, and 20.8 percent respectively.

On the other hand, customs duties collections picked up by 32.9 percent in the four-month period while non-tax revenues edged up by about JD229 million, or 63 percent, compared to the same period of the previous year, standing at JD593 million.

External grants retreated by 34.5 percent, according to the data, compared with the figure reported in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, public expenditures surged by JD252.3 million, or 9.3%, compared to the same period of the previous year, as a result of the government’s re-disbursement of a public servants' pay hike and higher capital spending which jumped by a major 55.8 percent. Current expenditures saw a 7.2-percent rise, the figures revealed.

According to the statistics, the budget deficit in the first four months of 2021 stood at JD330 million.

On the debt side, the government debt balance, after excluding what the Social Security Investment Fund holds until the end of April 2021, amounted to about JD27.105 billion, comprising 86.3 percent of the estimated GDP for the month of April of this year against 85.4 percent at the end of 2020.