MPS PROVED 2016\17 ÑATIONAL BUGHET

Parliament on Thursday approved 2016/17 national budget amounting to over K1.149 trillion after a protracted committee of supply. The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe also announced a pay increase for lower cadre civil servants. The law makers further approved an allocation of about K8.4 billion to Malata and Cement Subsidy Program in the 2016/17 financial year. The allocation to this subsidy has jumped from K7 billion in the just ended 2015/16 national budget. The allocation is part of the broader fund to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development amounting to about K17.6 billion.

The initial national budget was K1.41 trillion, but the figure went up following upward adjustments in allocations to the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC), Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD) and the Greenbelt Authority. NLGFC's allocation has been raised from K12 million to K18 million, DHRMD allocation has been increased by K7.7 billion while the Greenbelt Authority has gotten K300 million. Leader of the House Dr George Chaponda hailed constructive contributions from both sides, opposition and government law-makers. He said the passing of the budget will enable government to carry out different development projects.