Uzbekistan, Tashkent, June 6 / Trend D.Azizov /
The revenue of the state budget of Uzbekistan in the first quarter of this year amounted to 5.369 trillion soum and expenditure was 5.282 trillion soum. The budget surplus was at 0.4 per cent of the GDP, or 86.7 billion soum, the Uzbek government told Trend.
According to the report, the government's statement on financial performance in the first quarter of 2013 was considered at an enlarged meeting of the committee of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (lower house of parliament) of Uzbekistan on budget and economic reforms.
The focus of budget execution in the reporting period was given to social development and ensuring effective execution of the state budget.
In the first quarter of this year, the cost of social services and social support for the population of Uzbekistan in total expenditures amounted to 59.2 per cent.
It was stressed at the session of the Oliy Majlis that systematic implementation of the priorities set by the president for the current year provided for a 7.5 per cent growth of the GDP in the first quarter of 2013, a six per cent increase in industrial production as well as an increase in agricultural production by 6.2 per cent and the volume of construction work by 13.2 per cent.
The report also points out that some public institutions have misused funds and may have committed fraud relating to illegal use of funds.
In addition, there are accounts receivable and accounts payable and arrears to the budget as a result of non-compliance with payment discipline in some areas which has become the subject of criticism from MPs.
The meeting heard a report from representatives of relevant ministries and departments of Uzbekistan to address the shortcomings in the budget and mentioning the causes of an increase in taxes and other obligatory payments in the first quarter of this year in the Uzbekenergo complex of companies including Uzhleboprodukt and Uzbeklegprom and the work being done to address the issue.
As previously reported, the state budget of Uzbekistan for 2013 was approved with a deficit of 1.2 trillion soum, or one per cent of the projected GDP in the revenue part to the sum of 25.1 trillion soum (21.3 per cent of the GDP) and expenditure - 26.3 trillion soum (22.3 per cent of the GDP).
