The caretaker government of Afghanistan, based on its necessary vision and internal revenues, has made some reforms in Afghanistan’s national budget, reallocating some unnecessary or less necessary expenses to essential areas and priorities. Since the arrival of the new caretaker government in Afghanistan, the budget has been entirely reliant on its internal revenues, covering all government salaries and expenses without any foreign aid and similarly managing developmental projects.
According to existing figures and statistics, the current government of Afghanistan pays monthly salaries to nearly one and a half million official and contracted government employees, covers the expenses of all government institutions, and also provides monthly expenses and costs to hundreds of thousands of orphans, widows, disabled individuals, and families of martyrs due to past wars and unrest in the country. All these expenses are covered by domestic resources and revenues collected from customs.
Without foreign support and in the presence of cruel sanctions on Afghanistan, this is indeed a great achievement and a significant task, especially considering that in the previous republic, the number of government employees was much lower than the current number, and they did not implement any developmental projects with internal revenues. Despite extensive foreign aid, they still could not pay government employees’ salaries on time.
The caretaker government, if it takes every step towards controlling and regulating its expenses, budget, and salaries, should be welcomed, especially when money is being saved from unnecessary or less necessary places, expenses, or other costs like high salaries, and in return, gaps in more necessary and priority areas are being filled. The new government budget focuses heavily on the security sector and developmental projects, which undoubtedly will strengthen the country and enhance the national budget and revenues in the medium and long term.
Large projects like TAPI, CASA-1000, water dams, highways, and road construction require a lot of money, which previous governments were unable to secure even with extensive foreign aid. However, the current government is managing these projects despite extensive restrictions and sanctions using internal revenues. So, if funds are taken from non-essential or less essential salaries and other expenses and invested in these large projects, which will then generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the national budget each year, why shouldn’t they be supported?
Besides these large and developmental projects, there are many other areas where the funds saved and allocated due to the current reforms will make the future national budget even stronger, more independent, and self-sustaining, helping Afghanistan overcome its current critical economic situation caused by international oppressive sanctions. It is better to focus on the long-term benefits of such matters.
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