IPOH – Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad today tabled the state’s 2023 budget totalling RM1.19 billion, which focuses on driving economic growth and improving the people’s wellbeing.
With the theme “Perak Makmur, Rakyat Sejahtera”, the budget allocated RM395 million for development expenditure and RM794 million for operating expenditure.
“From the revenue and expenditure projections, it is estimated that the state’s financial statement for the year ending December 31, 2023, will be closed with a deficit of RM30 million,” he said when tabling the budget at the state assembly here today.
The budget underlined five focus areas, namely people’s wellbeing, governance of state-owned projects, environmental sustainability, food security and human capital and youth development.
Realising the economic uncertainties that still affect people’s lives, he said the state government had allocated RM373.8 million to implement various programmes and projects to improve the people’s wellbeing in a holistic manner.
The menteri besar said the state government’s financial situation is quite strong as its revenue had surpassed the RM1 billion mark, which it also did from 2016 to 2019 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Alhamdulillah, the current year’s revenue has also surpassed the target of RM1.032 billion. This has indeed strengthened the state government’s cash flow.
“Based on those developments, I am confident that the state government will close its account this year with a surplus,” he said.
Saarani also announced a special financial aid of 1.5-month salary or a minimum of RM2,000 to all state civil servants with the payment set to be made in the current year.
“Also receiving the special aid are ex-officio officers, state-appointed teachers, Orang Besar Jajahan and daily part-time workers. However, the aid will not be given to the menteri besar and state executive councillors,” he said.
In appreciation of the undivided commitment shown by its civil servants, Saarani said the state government also allocated RM2 million for cash award in lieu of leave claims, RM2 million for pensioners’ special incentive and RM0.05 million for incentives to perform umrah or going overseas.
The sitting continues on Tuesday. – Bernama, December 22, 2022
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