Muscat : Oman has projected 14 per cent growth in public revenue in the 2011 budget.

"The public revenues of the state are estimated at 7.28 billion Omani riyals (Dh69.4 billion) compared to 6.38 billion riyals in the state budget for 2010, a growth of 900 million riyals or 14 per cent," Ahmad Bin Abdul Nabi Macki, National Economy Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, said during his speech at the second session of the fourth annual term 2010-11 of the Majlis As'shura.

The elected members of the Shura on Wednesday discussed the eighth five-year plan and the draft budget for the financial year 2011 with the minister, ONA reported.

"The estimates of the state budget for 2011 have been prepared in accordance with the fundamentals of the eighth Five-Year Plan 2011-2015 so that these estimates are in line with the broad lines of the plan, its aims and with the financial framework of the eighth plan," Abdul Nabi Macki said.

Oil prices

He also pointed out that oil revenues have been calculated on the assumption that the average price per barrel is $58 with production of 896,000 barrels daily, 26,000 barrels or three per cent more compared to the estimated production in 2010 budget.

Macki noted that the estimated public expenditure for fiscal year 2011 is about 8.13 billion riyals compared to 7.43 billion riyals in the 2010 budget, an increase of 696 million riyals or nine per cent compared to the amended budget for 2010.

He said that the estimated revenues and expenditure in the state budget show that the estimated deficit for 2011, at which the price of oil barrel is calculated at $58, will be about 850 million riyals, 12 per cent of the revenues and four per cent of the GDP according to the preliminary estimates of the 2011 budget.

"From economic perspectives, these rates are within acceptable limits," he added.