The Central Administration executed 19.6% of the budget at the end of the first quarter

The Palacio Alegre building. Photo: MEF

Asunción, IP Agency.- The execution of Central Administration expenses at the end of the first quarter of 2024 amounted to G. 13.2 billion, which represents 19.6% of the total amount of the current Budget, that is, G. 67.6 billion.

This is detailed in the Monthly Financial Execution Report of the Central Administration, prepared by the Vice Ministry of Financial Administration (VAF) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).

The Budget in force as of March of this year presents an increase of 1.9% compared to the initial Budget approved by Law No. 7228 of the General Budget of the Nation (PGN) for 2024, which was G. 66.4 billion .

This increase is mainly explained by the increase in consumer goods and inputs, by virtue of Law No. 7218/2023, which establishes extraordinary management measures for Public Finances and Decree No. 1278/2024, for payments of pharmaceutical and medicinal products, medical materials, among others.

The report indicates that 65% of the budget execution of the three Powers of the State: Executive, Legislative and Judicial, and the other entities of the Central Administration was financed with Source 10 “Genuine Resources of the Public Treasury”, coming mostly from the taxes.

Among the entities with the highest budget execution are the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC), the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPyBS) and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC). .

Regarding the financial obligation of the MEF, it amounted to G. 4.8 billion at the end of March 2024, of which G. 2.5 billion were destined to pay retirees and pensioners of the Public Service, monetary transfer to Subnational Governments, payment of Alimony to the Elderly, and G. 2.1 billion to honor the country’s public debt.

Likewise, the financial obligation of the MEF rose to G. 2.2 billion, of which G. 1.5 billion were allocated to educational services of the first and second cycle, third cycle of Basic School Education and Secondary Education, as well as for education of youth and adults aged 15 and over.

For its part, the MSPyBS executed a total of G. 2.3 billion, of which G. 1 billion was for personal services, and G. 1.1 billion for the purchase of medicines or other chemical products.

The MOPC, for its part, used a total of G. 860,000 million, of which G. 545,000 million were allocated to the Paved Road Network Program, mainly for the expansion and duplication of routes 2 and 7; and the improvement of the agroindustrial corridor – Western Region.

G. 48,000 million was allocated to the Neighborhood Roads Program, much of it for the improvement of 160 kilometers of neighborhood roads and bridges in the Eastern Region.