SEREMBAN, Nov 27 ― The Negri Sembilan government today tabled a balanced budget for 2016, matching the operating expenditure and revenue estimates at RM384.036 million.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, in presenting the 2016 Supply Bill in the state legislative assembly, said the allocation for the 2016 budget was higher by about five per cent than 2015.

“To achieve the targeted revenue estimates of RM384.036 million, the government will continue implementing measures to improve revenue collection.

“The sources of revenue to be focused on include quit rent, land premium, returns from investment and sale of raw mater,” he said.

Mohamad, who is the assemblyman for Rantau, said the operating expenditure was 5.24 per cent or RM19.105 million higher than in the 2015 budget.

Mohamad said the budget, carrying the theme “Prospering the State, Improving the People's Well-being”, allocated RM93.726 million for development.

This expenditure would cover, among others, social development (RM30.433 million), infrastructure (RM28.391 million), agriculture (RM11.3 million) and tourism (RM4.43 million), he added. ― Bernama