Amman, January 2 (Petra) – The Parliamentary Finance Committee, chaired by Nimer Slaihat, has finalized its discussions on the 2025 draft general budget law.
The committee announced its decision to cut JD40 million from non-essential expenditures, such as water bills, travel, and car-related costs, and to reallocate the savings to other vital budgetary sectors. Slaihat indicated that the saved funds would be dedicated to raising salaries for active and retired military and civilian employees.
Slaihat forecasted the creation of 11,000 new jobs in the education and health sectors this year. He stressed the importance of monitoring the government’s implementation of the committee’s recommendations on a quarterly basis.
He also noted that, while the financial allocations in the budget are below aspirations, they still address citizens’ living conditions by ensuring allocations for strategic goods such as wheat, barley, and gas, as well as financing training programs for graduates in the information technology and agriculture sectors.
The committee thoroughly examined the budgets of ministries, departments, and government units, evaluating their implications for service provision, investment environments, poverty, unemployment, inflation rates, and overall economic growth. Slaihat emphasized the need for the allocations to reflect positively on these areas.
Regarding the Economic Modernization Vision, the committee recommended prioritizing significant national projects, including the national desalination carrier project in Aqaba and the Aqaba-Ghor Al-Safi railway. It also urged revising the execution timeline of these projects to align with regional developments by mid-2025.
Furthermore, the committee proposed organizing a national economic and financial dialogue to prepare for bilateral talks with Syria, aimed at fostering economic partnerships between the two nations.
Efforts to manage public debt were a significant focus, with the committee urging the international community to cap interest rates on soft loans at 2 percent. It also recommended reducing the general sales tax by at least 1 percent and reevaluating the overall tax burden to ensure a balance between economic needs and citizens’ welfare.
Slaihat highlighted the necessity of improving the investment climate by streamlining procedures and encouraging global IT companies to establish operations in Jordan. This step would strengthen Jordan’s position as a regional technological hub. Digital transformation was emphasized, with calls to enhance government service delivery through establishing service centers and providing support for innovative projects and businesses with strong global performance records.
On food security, the committee underscored the importance of reducing dependence on imports by supporting agricultural cooperatives and small-scale farmers through integrated programs, interest-free loans, and providing necessary resources. These steps aim to stabilize prices and achieve greater self-sufficiency in food production.
The energy sector received particular attention, with recommendations to continue exploring and exploiting local reserves of gas, oil, and natural minerals while promoting renewable energy sources. Citizens were assured that their financial liabilities for electricity consumption, when minor, would not result in asset seizures.
Slaihat further highlighted the need to expand vocational education, train educators, and align university programs with labor market demands while ensuring that the poor student fund receives sufficient allocations to support disadvantaged students.
Health services were identified as a priority, with calls for expanding health coverage and enhancing the quality of government hospitals through infrastructure improvements and digital health records.
On tourism, the recommendations encouraged diversification of offerings to cater to various cultural interests, restoration of archaeological sites, and the development of domestic tourism programs to maximize local and international appeal.
The committee urged the empowerment of governorate councils through sustained financial and logistical support, ensuring their ability to implement development projects effectively. It also advocated for long-term project planning, flexibility in financial allocations, and establishing central tender offices in every governorate to enhance efficiency and economic returns.
//Petra// AJ
02/01/2025 16:19:15
