Selangor tables RM3.45b budget

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state government tabled a budget of RM3.45 billion with more than half of it allocated to development alone.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa) (pix) said 52.2% or RM1.8 billion of the state's Budget 2017 is allocated to development while 47.8% or RM1.65 billion for administration purposes.
"This is Selangor's biggest ever development budget, and the State once again takes the lead by presenting a development budget which is bigger than the administrative budget.
"The Federal Budget, tabled by the Prime Minister, allocated only 18% for development," Azmin told the state legislative assembly today.
He said this is a 25% or RM360 million increase from last year's development budget, which reflects the state government's commitment to drive economic growth in the state.
Of the RM1.8 billion, Azmin said, 60.7% or RM1.093 billion will be for infrastructure projects including new constructions, drainage and irrigation maintenance, and water supply development.
He added RM250.258 million will be allocated to low cost strata housing, transport, industry and investment, urban, town and rural planning, and veterinary services.
Another RM247.156 million will be to community service, entrepreneurship, youth development, sports, and women and family development.
The state is also allocating RM209.260 million for basic healthcare, dengue and zika prevention programmes, rural economic development, and basic rural developments besides RM183.2 million to fund the state's free water programme.
"However, the state government recommends that free water be used in a prudent manner. Water is a valuable resource and its usage requires the practice of conservation," Azmin said.
As to Selangor's economy, he said, it is projected to grow between 5% to 5.5% as compared to the 4% to 4.5% of the federal economy.
Azmin attributed the growth to strong fundamentals of the state economy through strong and sustained domestic demands, low unemployment, a diverse source of income, and strong private sector spending.
The Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) statistics, he said, also showed Selangor having netted RM3.04 billion in investments involving 130 approved projects in 2016.
Azmin said the state is committed to retain existing investments while increasing foreign investments.
On the state's financial performance, he said Selangor's reserves increased from RM3.26 billion in December 2015 to RM3.62 billion as at 14 Oct 2016, and the state government still has RM351.38 million surplus at the same date.