Mubasher: The Qatar's Consultative Assembly (the Shura Council) on Monday discussed 2018 draft budget in the attendance of finance minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi.
The new budget will give priority to increase non-oil revenues and bolster public spending, said Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah al Mahmoud.
He added that the 2018 budget included developing the service sector, particularly education and healthcare, as well as allocating funds to develop citizens’ housing areas, Qatar News Agency reported, citing Al Mahmoud as saying.
The new draft budget includes bolstering food security projects, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), tourism, in addition to upgrading infrastructure in the special economic zones (SEZs).
The finance ministry of the gas-rich state forecast to slash the current-year budget deficit by QAR 28.3 billion ($7.37 billion), while revenues stood at QAR 170.1 billion and spending reached QAR 198.4 billion.
