Government Surpasses Annual Travel Budget by MVR 17.3 Million, Finance Ministry Reports

The government has exceeded its annual travel budget by MVR 17.3 million as of December 18, according to the latest figures from the Finance Ministry. The approved budget for transport-related expenses this year was MVR 249.1 million, but spending has reached MVR 266.4 million, surpassing the allocation before year-end. This year’s spending is MVR 6.9 million higher than the same period last year, which stood at MVR 259.5 million. Despite the increased travel expenditure, the government has received only MVR 301.5 million of the MVR 2.6 billion allocated for free aid, less than two-thirds of last year’s aid. Critics argue that the rise in official travel has not translated into increased foreign aid, attributing the decline to financial constraints, stalled reforms, and diplomatic challenges.