LIMA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Peru's economy minister said on Tuesday the country's 2024 public budget would likely grow some 12% year-on-year as the government boosts social programs but keeps a wary eye on impacts from the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Minister Alex Contreras said during a press conference that next year's budget bill, estimated at 241 billion soles ($65.4 billion), should be presented to Congress by the end of August.

This marks an increase of some 26 billion soles, about $7 billion at the current exchange rate.

Contreras said the bill will bring in a "historical" plan for social programs with an emphasis on investments in health, education and citizen security.

The government is "concerned" with El Nino, which could bring floods and intense rainfall, but he said it would maintain its "fiscal solvency" and was not considering issuing new bonds.

"Our concern in the remainder of the year and the first half of 2024 will be to continue softening the debt profile and continue pushing back amortizations for the following years, so as not to affect the fiscal space," he added.

Contreras said earlier on Tuesday the government had lowered its economic growth forecasts for 2023 and 2024 amid poor weather, lower private investment in mining, and anti-government protests earlier this year.

( 1 dollar = 3.687 soles) (Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)