Lower House continues state budget discussion

AMMAN — The Lower House on Wednesday continued deliberations over the draft 2016 state budget law and the bill governing the budget of independent government units for the third day, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Deputies who took the podium at the session criticised the government's economic policies and called for spending more on education and development projects to provide job opportunities.

MP Abdul Hadi Maharmeh (National Labour list) criticised the government's policies of raising prices and taxes and its employment strategy.

MPs Hadithah Khreisha (Central Badia) and Tamam Riyati (Aqaba) took turns in speaking on behalf of the Mubadara bloc, highlighting that the budget is not read only from a monetary angle but also from political, economic and social ones. 

The bloc called for establishing an independent unit specialised in evaluating performance indicators related to the budget and giving the unit the authority to hold officials and departments accountable. 

Mubadara also proposed increasing spending on education, stimulating the private sector, enhancing political life, and reconsidering administrative divisions in the Kingdom, noting that infrastructure and services are provided on the basis of districts, which is unfair to governorates with no districts like Jerash and Ajloun.

The two MPs highlighted the importance of increasing capital spending and benefiting from loans for productive projects to increase employment, calling for an executive plan to manage public debt. 

Deputy Mohsen Rjoub (Irbid, 2nd District) said the national economy needs innovative ideas that increase revenues through attracting investments and not the collection of taxes.

For his part, MP Nayef Khazaaleh (Mafraq, 1st District) charged that the government is not serious when it comes to combating poverty and unemployment, claiming that state economic policies have not reflected positively on citizens' living conditions.

Deputy Samir Oweis (Irbid, 1st District) said the government does not have an economic programme to address national challenges, adding that Irbid, 80km north of Amman, is suffering, with refugees constituting a quarter of its population.

On December 6, 2015, the government submitted to the House the draft 2016 general budget law in addition to the bill governing the budget of independent government units.

Public spending for 2016 was put at JD8.496 billion with a projected deficit of 3.1 per cent of the gross domestic product.

The growth projection for next year is estimated at 3.7 per cent, while inflation is estimated at 3.1 per cent in the 2016 draft general budget law.

The House is scheduled to continue deliberations over the bills in two sessions on Thursday and vote on their endorsement, First Deputy House Speaker Mustafa Amawi said.