Higher spending on Low-income housing

The Nation

Government budget disbursements at the end of the second quarter this year rose 1.39 per cent compared with the same period last year, but were 2.21 per cent lower than the target, according to the Comptroller General's Department.

Manas Jaemveha, department spokesman, said budget disbursements between October and March were Bt726.98 billion, or 43.79 per cent of the total planned government expenditure of Bt1.66 trillion.

Government spending on investment increased 6.62 per cent year on year to Bt131.5 billion. This accounted for 39.5 per cent of targeted capital spending of Bt332.9 billion for a full fiscal year.

Manas said government spending on low-income housing projects ranked top in the fastest-growing areas of spending.

Budget disbursements on current spending, including salaries for state employees, were so far Bt595.48 billion out of a total Bt1.33 trillion.

Meanwhile, budget disbursements in March alone were Bt113.5 billion, 1.32 per cent lower than the same month last year. Breaking down disbursement components, Bt13.11 billion was capital spending, 2.49 per cent lower compared to the same month in fiscal year 2007.