(CTN News) – Chaloempol Pensut, director of the Budget Bureau, confirmed on Tuesday for the first time that the government can spend the budget starting in fiscal year 2025 on its flagship 10,000-baht digital wallet handout scheme.
Mr Chaloempol was responding to the opposition Move Forward Party’s (MFP) concerns about fiscal year 2025 figures for how the scheme will boost economic growth.
Previously, the MFP informed the government that it had failed to provide clarity on the scheme’s funding source beginning in fiscal year 2025.
Mr Chaloempol stated that the government can spend the 2025 budget as long as a portion of it comes from cancelled projects.
Supplementary Bill for Digital Wallet Scheme Budget to be Reviewed by House
He insisted that the government implement the fiscal management measures announced earlier, citing a valid reason for the budget requirement as outlined in the recent Budgetary Transmission Act.
With the reduction of the budget to be used in the scheme, the government stated that the 450 billion baht would come from the fiscal years 2024 and 2025:
160 billion baht from FY 2024, with 122 billion baht coming from the Additional Budget Act and another 40 billion baht being cut from other spending.
285 billion baht from FY 2025, including 152.7 billion from the annual budget and 132.3 billion from spending cuts.
Mr Chaloempol stated that the adaptation for next year’s fiscal budget, including a supplementary bill, will be based on the government’s current situation.
A supplementary bill seeking to increase the current fiscal year’s budget by 122 billion baht will receive its second and third readings in the House today, following its first reading on July 17.
Regarding the bill, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated that the procedure for the supplementary bill is transparent and verifiable, as the relevant sectors have followed all applicable laws.
Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat stated that the handout would be distributed at the end of this year, as planned.
He expressed confidence in the thorough legal procedures and progress made on the bill amendment.
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