Maait: State Budget 2020/21 to Cover Health, Education, Social Protection

The Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait confirmed that the budget for the current fiscal year 2020/21 specifies among its main objectives the promotion of human development, including the strengthening of health, educational and social protection mechanisms, in line with the directives of the political leadership to achieve sustainable development.

Maait explained that health, education, scientific research and social protection will receive a bigger portion of the current fiscal year in a way that contributes to providing better health care to citizens, especially in light of the emergence of the coronavirus.

The state budget will also help develop education and scientific research, in addition to easing the burden on lower-income citizens.

The minister explained that the allocations for the health sector in the current fiscal year budget amounts to EGP 258.5 billion, with an increase of EGP 7 billion to support this vital sector.

Also, EGP 16.3 billion was allocated for health initiatives, EGP 11 billion for medicines, and EGP 1.75 billion for children's nutrition, EGP 7 billion for the state-funded treatment program, 1.1 billion for those who are unable to join the comprehensive health insurance system, and EGP 800 million to support health insurance for students, dependent women, children under school age, and farmers.

He added that the allocations for the pre-university education sector amounted to EGP 241.6 billion, EGP 122 billion for higher education, and EGP 60.4 billion for scientific research, which would contribute to the completion of the national project to develop the education and scientific research system, in a manner that creates a generation of innovators.

The minister said that the current budget took into account social protection, where the allocations for the commodity support programs amounted to EGP 115.1, of which: EGP 84.5 billion to support the supply goods, in addition to the support for the transportation of passengers by EGP 3.4 billion, in addition to EGP 6.4 billion for the social housing program, the development of Upper Egypt and the delivery of natural gas to homes.

The minister indicated that the government is keen to expand initiatives in support of citizens, especially the most needy, as it continues to implement presidential initiatives aimed at supporting the health system, developing service performance, and providing decent medical care to Egyptians, including "100 million health", the eradication of slums and the creation of adequate housing in civilized cities.

Pointing to the presidential initiative to support the Egyptian consumer, which aims to reduce the burden on citizens by providing durable and non-durable goods with discounts of up to 20% and an additional 10% discount for all those holding ration cards, financed by the state treasury with a total of EGP 12.25 billion.