KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government today tabled the state's 2025 budget amounting to RM1.45 billion, with an estimated deficit of RM93.02 million.
Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud said next year's budget has decreased by about RM85.47 million or 47.88 per cent compared to 2024's RM178.49 million.
"The deficit reduction shows the state government's efforts towards achieving a budget balance from year to year.
"This is to guarantee the strengthening of the government's cash flow and cash reserves without reducing the allocation of programmes and projects that involve the interests of the people.
"The state government proposes the budget for 2025 with an estimated breakdown of operating expenditure at RM1.09 billion and development expenditure at RM361.66 million," he said when tabling the budget at the State Assembly sitting here.
Nassuruddin said that with the theme of 'Keberkatan, Kesejahteraan Dan Keseimbangan Untuk Kemakmuran Negeri', the budget focuses on five core areas.
These include character development based on the Quran and the cultivation of Islamic charity; the empowerment of the community's well-being; targeted and comprehensive people empowerment; optimum capital-based development and projection of effective implementation; and administrative excellence and sustainability of government finance.
He said the estimated state revenue for 2025 is expected to be RM997.26 million, including tax revenue of RM230.51 million, non-tax revenue of RM354.93 million, and non-revenue receipts of RM411.82 million.
Nassuruddin said the total amount indicates a decrease in revenue by RM30.01 million, or 3.10 per cent, compared to the estimated revenue for 2024, which was RM1.03 billion.
Land revenue is the largest contributor, with a total of RM379.05 million.
"This shows an increase of RM30.01 million, or 3.10 per cent, compared to the 2024 estimate of RM349.04 million," he said.
Nassuruddin said the receipts from the Federal Government are estimated to be RM365.40 million, an increase of 10.16 per cent compared to 2024, which was RM331.70 million, in the form of grants allocated to the State Treasury as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.
"Forest revenue was the fourth contributor, with a total of RM93.20 million. This shows an increase of RM0.50 million or 0.54 per cent compared to 2024," he added.
He added that receipts from other sources amount to RM58.52 million.