Ammon News - The projections for spending and income in the proposed budget law for 2025 were established using various assumptions regarding financial actions. Key factors include the regular yearly rise in staff wages, the regular yearly rise in pension benefits for government and military personnel, and restricting new hires to essential positions only.
As per the budget statement, the plan involves aiming for a gradual decrease in public debt and the primary deficit of the general budget, paying for interest on both domestic and external public debt, and utilizing favorable credit ratings to secure funding from global markets at the most competitive interest rates.
The steps also involve increasing effectiveness and reallocating capital expenditure towards key areas, particularly projects aligned with the Economic Modernization Vision, to improve results. This includes maintaining control over public finances, improving financial indicators sustainability, and managing expenses wisely to ensure government agencies can fulfill their duties effectively.
The government will streamline spending on fuel, electricity, water, and stationery. It will also monitor the maintenance of water networks, promote solar energy and energy-efficient devices, oversee the use of government vehicles and heating, and restrict travel expenses. No new cars or furniture will be bought without the Prime Minister's approval, except in urgent cases.
The actions also involved: changing how the spending on capital projects, mostly ongoing activities, is categorized as current expenses, and providing the required financial support to enhance the efficiency and readiness of the Jordanian Armed Forces and security services.
The declaration dedicated funds to assist in strategic goods, stabilize bread and gas cylinder prices, and improve the strategic reserves of wheat and barley for extended periods. Additionally, funds were allocated to the Industrial Support Fund, supplying industrial cities with natural gas to lower energy expenses in production, and implementing the national export strategy.
The report tracked the funding for capital budgets and operational costs of governorates, as well as funds for the National Aid Fund to support more families and partnership projects with the private sector.
The statement emphasized the importance of monitoring financial allocations for medical treatments, medicines, and supplies, as well as expanding health insurance coverage to achieve comprehensive health insurance.
It is emphasized not to allocate funds for capital projects without approval from the Council of Ministers, and not to buy user services without approval from the Prime Minister, except in justified cases.
It also emphasized the importance of monitoring the required financial allocations for municipal development, supporting universities and the Needy Student Support Fund, implementing indicators in grant program agreements with international bodies, covering financial obligations for ministries and government departments, funding expropriations, and enhancing the independence of judicial and oversight bodies.
The required funds were also allocated to execute strategic projects in the fields of health, education, transportation, water, and energy, and to promote the tourism sector, the essential financial allocations were also assigned.
The declaration provided the required funds to aid in the digital transformation process, buy operating systems and software, bolster cybersecurity and electronic protection, strengthen national technical systems, and monitor the allocation of funds for implementing projects related to the National Strategy for Jordanian Women's Affairs, while also enhancing the budget's focus on gender requirements.
When calculating revenues, the statement considered the rise of nominal GDP, financial reforms targeting tax and customs evasion, and the Kingdom's receipt of all expected external grants outlined in the general budget.