Chapter 266: Annual Budget
Galactic Calendar 9425.
Blue Star Hub, Chairman’s Office.
“At the beginning of the year, Venus Base officially began operations. Up to now, in 10 months, the output of various metal ores converted to Star Coins is worth about 10 million Star Coins.
However, the Mercury Project, which was carried out at the same time, was delayed by three months in construction progress due to insufficient human resources before it was put into use. And due to population and other issues, the Mercury Project has so far produced a total of about 2 million Star Coins worth of metal minerals in seven months.
The Io Project is different. Due to the proximity to the Jupiter-Mars Hub, it has an advantage in resource allocation, so much so that its completion time was even one month faster than that of Venus Base, where we invested heavily.
And in terms of output, the high-value metal ore it produces does not seem to be lower than Venus at present.
Up to now, it has produced about 13 million Star Coins worth of metal minerals.
According to estimates, by next month, the total value of minerals produced by these three bases and the bases on other planets after environmental reconstruction is completed will be about 35 million Star Coins.
Meanwhile, our annual ore production value from Mars Utopia Base, Ganymede Pioneer Base, and Callisto Qiming Base is about 80 million Star Coins.
Taking all factors into consideration and deducting losses at various stages, our total revenue in the mineral domain this year is about 110 million Star Coins.
Next year, after optimization work in personnel configuration for these bases and in mineral project facilities and other aspects is completed, it is expected that this figure can double to reach 200 million Star Coins in revenue.”
In front of the desk, Jin Qiaoying spoke eloquently, with all the data already memorized in her mind. Her gaze fixed on Fan Ren, somewhat reluctant to shift away.
But then she frowned slightly, puzzled.
“Chairman? Fan Ren?”
“Mm, ah? 200 million Star Coins, right? Very good. So, under your and the Ministry of Industry’s leadership, all project targets this year have been completed two times over the expectation? Very good.”
Fan Ren, coming back to his senses, nodded hurriedly, his surprised expression quickly turning into a serious one.
The Jin Qiaoying in front of him, with gold-rimmed glasses paired with her exquisite features and mature face, made it so that one was somewhat reluctant to shift their gaze.
Hearing this, she shook her head helplessly, but then seemed to think of something and smiled.
“What’s wrong?”
Fan Ren looked at her in confusion.
“200 million Star Coins is the projected mineral revenue for next year, while this year’s projected revenue is only 110 million.
Moreover, not only that, according to the development plan, we can only sell 30% of these produced ores on the Starfield Market.
In that case, by the end of this year, the Finance Department is expected to receive about 33 million Star Coins in revenue.
But obviously, with all departments eyeing it now, this amount of Star Coins revenue is really stretched thin.”
Hearing this, Fan Ren finally understood.
He gave an embarrassed smile, then temporarily ‘sealed’ the messy data about electromagnetic railgun research in his mind and focused his attention on the matter at hand.
“I understand what you mean. According to your estimation, what would be an appropriate fiscal budget for each department next year?”
Fan Ren knew that Jin Qiaoying had come to cry poor.
He couldn’t help but feel a headache. They had been together for so long, over a century, yet this was the first time Jin Qiaoying had expressed this kind of helplessness and the emotion of being short on funds and unable to accomplish anything in her work capacity with him.
Hearing this, Jin Qiaoying no longer dwelled on Fan Ren’s earlier distraction. She knew that the man in front of her had never taken money seriously.
Whether in the era of Xinghai Technology or now in the era of the Human Civilization Committee, he, as the leader, had never paid too much detailed attention to the data from the economic departments.
Thinking of this, this woman, who was completely indifferent to her own mature charm, subconsciously glared at Fan Ren with a bit of resentment.
“We had a small meeting with the ministers of various departments earlier. According to our Ministry of Economy and Trade’s idea, next year’s budget for procurement on the Starfield Market, excluding the Space Force, should be controlled at around 20 million Star Coins.
But obviously, such a small amount of funds is completely unable to meet the demands of all departments.”
As Jin Qiaoying spoke to the end, her expression became somewhat unusual. She noticed that Fan Ren’s gaze was flickering, sometimes staring straight at her, sometimes forcibly looking away, which really intrigued her.
“Ahem, understandable. After all, the many advanced technologies on the Starfield Market have advantages over our civilization’s current similar products that are simply worlds apart.
I think among them, the department with the tightest procurement budget is the Science and Technology Department, right?”
Fan Ren lowered his head, not daring to look directly at the enchanting woman in front of him, fixing his gaze on an unidentified document on the desk, as if pondering the meaning of the text that hadn’t entered his mind.
Jin Qiaoying smiled lightly, not minding it. But her face couldn’t help but smile even more brightly.
It was precisely because of this that Fan Ren had always lingered in her heart.
She nodded, her tone unintentionally carrying a gentleness not present in her work: “That’s right. According to the budget, the Science and Technology Department’s budget share should reach 30%, but…”
“But it’s completely insufficient, right?”
Fan Ren raised his head, smiling as he took over the conversation.
Jin Qiaoying spread her fair, tender hands like mutton-fat jade, noncommittal.
Seeing this, he didn’t mind the woman’s presence and pondered on his own.
Regarding the issue of the Human Civilization’s annual budget, although he hadn’t studied it in detail, he had this concept from the output estimate report that A’dai had privately prepared earlier.
Undoubtedly, in this era when we have just entered the Galactic Alliance and are just starting to access the Starfield Market, Human Civilization has no resistance at all to the various advanced technologies on the market.
And this is the common disease of most civilizations when they first enter.
Precisely because of this, various civilizations gradually invest their main human, material, and financial resources into the mining industry during this process, in order to increase Star Coin revenue, thereby directly purchasing on the Starfield Market those technological products that cannot be broken through in any technical aspect in a short time.
Over time, after the influence of buying over self-research deepens, coupled with the various imminent crises facing the civilization, the various technology departments’ self-research technical domains will also gradually be abandoned.
Eventually evolving into a development pattern where only materials science and ship design remain, and all other technologies rely on procurement.
Of course, the biggest reason for this is thanks to the absolute fairness of the Starfield Market and the powerful transportation capabilities of the Interstellar Logistics Company, making it so that various civilizations have absolutely no idea on the path of buying to turn around and switch to self-research domains.
And these are also the dilemmas currently faced by humanity.
Originally, the 110 million in mineral revenue, if all taken out, should be completely sufficient to meet these departments’ budgets for next year.
But now only 30% of the mineral production can be sold, so it’s completely insufficient for these departments to use.
