KOTA BHARU: Kelantan menteri besar Ahmad Yakob today tabled the 2022 Budget with a projected deficit of RM90.49 million, an increase from the RM66.02 million deficit of last year.
He also announced a special assistance of RM1,000 for state civil servants, and RM500 each for political appointees.
Ahmad said that while the state was projecting a deficit for the fourth consecutive year, the government had recorded an actual budget surplus.
“In 2017, there was a surplus of RM38.82 million, in 2018 (RM40.46 million), in 2019 (RM45.69 million) and 2020 (RM45.44 million),” he said when tabling the budget themed “Kelantan Maju Rakyat Sejahtera” during the Kelantan state assembly sitting at Kota Darulnaim here today.
On the special assistance for civil servants and political appointees, Ahmad said it was among efforts to appreciate their services and commitment.
“Political appointees receiving special assistance amounting to RM500, will include penghulu and staff of the Dakwah Halaqat division while RM250 will be given to Al-Quran and Fardhu Ain teachers under the Halaqat division.”
Ahmad said the state was targeting a revenue of RM991.74 million next year while the estimated operating expenditure is expected to be RM1.08 billion compared to RM1.09 billion in 2021.
“The development allocation for 2022 amounting to RM428.3 million, is financed under the state allocation and loan sources,” he said.
Elaborating, Ahmad said revenue received from the government agencies remain the largest contributor, amounting to RM339.65 million (34.25%), while fixed land revenue is the second largest contributor with RM317.59 million (32.02%).
“The third-largest contributor is other receipts, amounting to RM181.62 million (18.31%), followed by forest revenue with a contribution of RM97 million (9.78%) of total revenue,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad said under the 12th Malaysia Plan), the state government will record a projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.7%, surpassing the national target of between 4.5% and 5.5%.
The assembly sitting will resume on Sunday.