Terengganu unveils RM2.2b Budget for 2014

The Terengganu government on Monday tabled the state's 2014 Budget RM2.2 billion including RM1.208 billion for management and development expenditure.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said (pic) said the state government estimated a revenue collection increase of 9.73% to RM2.2 billion in 2014 from RM2.005 billion this year, an increase of RM195 million.

"From the estimated bigger revenue, 89.95% is projected to be derived from the federal government, specifically from the Federal Government Special Fund and annual grant and the balance of 10.05% from the state's own sources," he said when tabling the budget at the state assembly sitting Monday.

Ahmad said under its 2014 Budget, the state government would focus on four main strategies - reducing deficit, developing quality human capital, ensuring prosperity for the people and raising the state's competitiveness.

He said the state government would allocate RM41.5 million to continue the Housing Assistance Programme for the poor to build a new house or to repair their dilapidated home.

"To improve the lot of the poor, single mothers, the disabled, orphans and natural disaster victims, RM49.72 million is allocated for the state Welfare Services Department.

"The poor with chronic diseases will also not be neglected so that they will receive medical treatment using new technology through the Chronic Disease Fund with an allocation of RM10 million."

Realising the importance of human capital development, Ahmad said the state government allocated RM59.19 million on educational development to ensure access to quality education which had enabled Terengganu to continuously achieve excellence in education.

"A sum of RM3.5 million is allocated to boost the Quran smart programme and Fardhu Ain classes, so that children as young as seven to 12 years old can learn the Quran as we want them to complete reading the Holy Book before they enter secondary school.

"Another RM3.2 million is allocated for increasing cyber classes as schools that are equipped with sophisticated ICT facilities have achieved very encouraging results in the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR)."