PM: Social spending will grow by 12% in 2024

Social spending will increase by 12% in 2024, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said at a meeting of the Council of Ministers on 29 August, BelTA has learned.

The draft social and economic development forecasts, monetary policy targets and the 2024 budget are on the agenda of the Council of Ministers' meeting on 29 August. “The budget was formed based on the forecast scenario (in which GDP growth is predicted at 3.8%); the social focus of the budget will remain. Social spending will increase by 12% in 2024 over the estimates for this year. Spending on education will rise by almost Br1.5 billion, spending on healthcare will expand by Br1.2 billion. Spending on public-sector salaries will grow by 12.6%. Spending on welfare payments will get bigger by 14%, on pensions by 16%,” said Roman Golovchenko.

According to him, the government will keep subsidizing housing construction for young and large families and other categories of citizens in need of better living conditions, and will help build engineering, transport and other infrastructure in new neighborhoods. For these purposes, the budget will earmark Br1.7 billion (up by 6% over the estimates for this year).