wateras, well as asphalting and lightening some streets. For projects in the sectors of transport and telecommunications, Dr Al-Farsi said the amount of SR 8,850,000,000 has been allocated. The budget includes projects of water and sewage as well as dams, wells, pumping, and water desalination stations at a cost of about SR 17,200,000,000. Arrangements are underway to implement projects of water and sewage and water desalination at a total cost of about SR 29,000,000,000. In the field of the industrial sector, the budget includes new projects in Jubail and Yanbu for the development of infrastructure projects in petrochemical industries. As regards the specialized development funds and financing governmental programs, the capital of the Real Estate Development Fund will be given an increase of SR 9,000,000,000, and the capital of the Saudi Credit Bank will be enhanced by SR 2,000,000,000. These loans will positively contribute to the acceleration of the wheel of the national economy; and the loans due to be extended in the fiscal year 1425-1426H are expected to amount to SR 10,000,000,000. The estimates of the General Statistics Department as regards the development of the national economy, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for this year 1424-1425H (2004), is expected to amount to SR 931,800,000,000. The GDP for the private sector is expected to witness an increase of 6.7 percent under current prices and 5.7 percent under fixed prices. Growth in the non-petroleum manufacturing industries is expected to amount to 6.4 percent, and in sectors of telecommunications, transport, and storage to 7.8 percent . The sector of electricity, gas and water is also expected to grow by 4.5 percent, the sector of building and construction by 7.5 percent, and wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels by4.9 percent.
