At the XXII plenary session of the Senate, the law “On the State Budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2022” was discussed. The document establishes the main macroeconomic indicators and forecasts of revenues and expenditures of the consolidated state budget for 2022, as well as budget targets for 2023-2024.
According to the Senate press service, in 2022 the country’s GDP growth rate will be 6.0%, including in industry – 7.0%, in construction – 8.1%, in agriculture – 3.3%. The maximum size of the consolidated budget deficit for 2022 is set at 3% of GDP.
At the same time, it is envisaged to carry out additional expenses that may lead to exceeding the maximum size of the budget deficit, only if there is an additional source of income or by reducing other expenses. It is predicted that the downward trend in inflation will continue, and next year it will be around 9%.
The law establishes that the managers of the first-level budgetary funds have the right to direct up to 10% of the maximum allocations allocated from the republican budget on the basis of a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers to subordinate organizations financed from the budget of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, local budgets of regions and the city of Tashkent.
In order to support the financing of socially significant national state programs, as well as projects for the formation of production and non-production infrastructure, the established amount of grant funds allocated from foreign sources to managers of budgetary funds of the first level shall be increased without amending this Law.
In 2022, consolidated budget revenues are projected at 254.6 trillion soums, or 30.3% of GDP. Budget revenues are determined at 199.5 trillion soums or 23.8% of GDP. Revenues of state trust funds are planned at 31.9 trillion soums, expenses – 58.7 trillion soums.
In addition, it is envisaged to allocate funds from the budget to the social sphere, in particular, 46.9 trillion soums – for education expenditures, 22.8 trillion soums – for healthcare expenditures, 3.4 trillion soums – for expenditures in the sphere of culture and sports, and 1.5 trillion soums – for the costs of measures for the further development of science.
Also, the law introduces a procedure according to which the repair of territories adjacent to the multi-apartment housing stock, and the overhaul of heating networks and boiler equipment of heat supply organizations that are part of the system of the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services.
In connection with the further expansion of the powers of local councils in the formation of the budget, 5% of the approved expenditures of the respective budgets of all districts (cities) of the republic are directed to financing events formed on the basis of public opinion.
Additionally, at least 30% of the additional funds from the budgets of all districts (cities) of the republic are directed to finance activities formed on the basis of public opinion.
In particular, the law provides for funds from the open budget, the “Civil Initiatives Fund” in the amount of 1 trillion 553 billion soums.
The senators noted that it is necessary to strengthen parliamentary and public control over the fair and targeted use of state budget funds.
The document was approved by members of the Senate.
