Nay Pyi Taw August 24
The coordination meeting to submit the six-month Union budget from October 2021 to March 2022 took place at the meeting hall of the Office of the State Administration Council Chairman in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon, with an address by Vice Chairman of Finance Commission Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice- Senior General Soe Win.
Also present at the meeting were Secretary of the commission Union Minister U Win Shein, Auditor-General of the Union Dr Kan Zaw and Deputy Minister U Maung Maung Win. Union ministers, the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, the Union Attorney-General, the Chairman of Union Civil Service Board, the Governor of Central Bank of Myanmar and officials of Hluttaw offices and central organizations joined the meeting through video conferencing.
First, the Vice-Senior General Soe Win, in his address, said as the national plan, the annual budget and tax bill must be enacted regularly on a yearly basis in accord with Section 100 (b) of the Constitution, such processes must be undertaken in line with the existing laws and procedures. Myanmar set the financial year from 1 April to 31 March yearly but it was changed as from 1 October to 30 September as of 2018-2019 financial year. Now, the financial year will be re-changed as from 1 April to 31 March starting from 2022-2023 financial year. The interim budget will be drawn for six months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.
At present, emphasis is being placed on prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic. The country faces some economic loss with declining incomes including that from taxes and other ordination income. Hence, the country may face the continuous declining of income in coming six months. However, the government must spend the expenditure on prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 without fail, union ministries need to scrutinize the expenditures as much as they can. The estimated income must be actual income to be gained within six months during the six-month budget period, and the estimated expenditure must be actual cost within six months.
It was found that the Ministry of Planning and Finance scrutinized and submitted the sixmonth estimated budget drawn by Union level departments and organizations in line with policies, financial rules and procedures adopted by the State. In so doing, the projects at the Union level must not be overlapped with that of regions and states.
Secretary of the commission Union Minister U Win Shein reported on drawing the estimated expenditures for Union level departments and organizations for six months, available of income and successful implementation of the projects.
Deputy Minister U Maung Maung Win presented progress of scrutiny for the budget accounts of Union level departments and organizations for six months from October 2021 to March 2022, and appropriation for the unusual expenditures. Union Auditor-General Dr Kan Zaw explained findings from the estimated budget of Union level departments and organizations, and inspection of accounts.
Then, Union Minister Dr Thet Thet Khaing reported on construction of warehouses and the natural disaster information centre for relief supplies in four townships of Shan State, Union Minister Lt-Gen Yar Pyae on extension of the organization setup of the National Unity and Peace Negotiation Department of the Office of the Government, and Union Minister U Tin Htut Oo on the increased allotment of the budget for soonest implementation of Kengtawng Dam project in Yaksawk Township of Shan State. In response to the reports, Union Minister U Win Shein discussed that heads of Union level departments and organizations need to supervise the financial allotment and undertakings, and Union level departments and organizations need to contact the Treasury Department as quickly as possible if they have to amend and add something to the six-month budget from October 2021 to March 22.
Afterwards, on assessing the reports, the Vice-Senior General made concluding remarks that union level organizations have submitted the budget for the six months period from October 2021 to 2022 reasonably, the reports will be submitted to the financial committee and will be approved by the committee, it will be sent to the provisional government or the SAC for the budget from October 2021 to 2022 March for the six months period.
After approving the budgets, ministries are required to make attempts to spend the budgets as much as beneficial for the public in accordance with the five future tasks, nine objectives so that the public will benefit from the assistance directly. In addition to the budget requested by union ministries, it is found that there are expenditures for normal operation of factories and workshops, prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 and assistance for economic growth of other countries.
According to the budget circle, it is necessary to adopt the plans for the six months period from 2020-2021 October to 2022 March. Although there are challenges for the pandemic and the political changes, it is time to implement the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and political changes, it is necessary to meet the earning targets as much as possible, to spend the approved bugets in timely manner and to return the funds that are not spent timely.
As there are ministries that are contributed to earnings of the government, there are ministries that have to use the revenues for defence, science and technology and regional development of the state as well as for prevention of COVID-19 and other diseases. Although, there will be general challenges for earning to some extent against the spread of the pandemic, it is necessary for all departments to exert effort as much as possible to collect targeted incomes. Similarly, the ministries that have to spend budgets on socioeconomic development of the country are required to save the budget except the expenditure for the essentials of the public. In addition to the nine weaknesses reported by the office of the union accountant general, I would like to urge all to observe rules and regulations as much as possible and to implement the spending allocated by the law, the budgets as much as possible.
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