Budgetary balances fall 37% in 2024, reach 8-year low of 0.4 trln rubles - Russian Accounts Chamber

MOSCOW. March 18 (Interfax) - The total amount of unexecuted federal budget expenditures in 2024 decreased by 226.6 billion rubles or 36.9% and amounted to 387.1 billion rubles or 1% of the consolidated budget schedule with amendments, compared to 613.7 billion rubles the previous year, according to data included in an analytical note from the Accounts Chamber on the execution of the 2024 federal budget.

This is the lowest figure in the last eight years, the chamber said.

There was also a reduction in unexecuted budgetary allocations in 2023 amounting to 192.5 billion rubles or 24%, compared to 796 billion rubles in 2022. They amounted to 645.4 billion rubles in 2021 and to 1 trillion rubles in 2020.

Excluding additional financial support for the performance of functions by certain federal treasury institutions, as well as unused budgetary funds for the preparation and conduct of the election campaign, the total amount of unexecuted allocations last year amounted to 485 billion rubles. The figure was over 700 billion rubles in 2023.

The total volume of balances for providing subsidies to legal entities and interbudgetary transfers "on demand," as well as for paying concluded state contracts, amounted to 78.4 billion rubles, down 71.5% compared to 2023.

The materials also include the Accounts Chamber's expert assessment of the amount of funds for which non-execution was projected as of January 1, 2025, allocated to increase budgetary allocations to the government's reserve fund - the figure stood at 367.6 billion rubles.

The Finance Ministry was allocated budgetary appropriations of 400.276 billion rubles on December 28 from the government's reserve fund to provide interbudgetary transfers to the Social Fund, which were transferred in full on the last working day of the year.

Excluding this interbudgetary transfer, the volume of unexecuted budgetary allocations could thus have amounted to 787.4 billion rubles, and to 885.3 billion rubles excluding additional financial support for the performance of functions by certain federal treasury institutions as well as unused budgetary funds for the preparation and conduct of the election campaign, the Accounts Chamber said.