The Jordanian general budget deficit in the first half of 2011 rose to JD260.1 million after aid, compared to JD167.2 million in the same period of 2010, according to the Finance Ministry's monthly bulletin. The deficit before aid stood at JD575.1 million compared to JD325 million in the same period last year. The figures showed that domestic revenues and foreign aid in the first half of this year reached JD2.551billion compared to JD2.418 billion in the same period of 2010, a rise of JD133.3 million or 5.5 percent. Foreign aid in the first 6 months of 2011 reached JD315 million. Domestic revenues dipped by JD23.9 million to JD2.236 billion compared to JD2.260 billion in the same period of 2010. The bulletin attributed the decrease in domestic revenues to a decline in other revenues by JD51.5 million despite a rise in tax revenues by JD27.1 million. It also attributed the rise in tax revenues to soaring taxes on commodities and services by JD33.2 million. Total spending in the first half of 2011 rose by JD226.6 million, reaching JD2.812 billion compared to JD2.585 billion in the same period of 2010. Net public debt at the end of June 2011 has risen compared to the end of 2010 by JD818.9 million to reach JD12.281 billion or 58.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2011, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.
