The framework for district services improvement programme (DSIP) has been completed, Minister for National Planning Paul Tiensten said yesterday.
Mr Tiensten said the framework for administration and accountability of the DSIP is now complete and is awaiting the secretary for finance to sign and issue financial instruction concerning DSIP to the 89 districts.
Once the financial instruction is signed and issued, the office of rural development (ORD) will begin rolling out the funds and carry out the DSIP in the 89 districts. The minister made this clarification for the benefit of the districts and their MPs to appreciate the correct procedures involved in getting the framework and financial instruction done and issued to implement the grants.
Mr Tiensten also explained the Department of Finance had opened 86 subsidiary trust accounts with Bank South Pacific for the districts and deposited K300,000 last Feb 8 in each account for each district administration and mobilisation, especially to carry out scope of work and design for the proposed projects.
Each district would have access to the deposited funds based on the resolutions of the joint district planning and budget priority committee (JDB&BPC).
The balance of K10 million for each district is now being held in the main trust account with the Department of Finance.
Mr Tiensten said in order to access the funds, the MP’s were advised to convene a properly constituted JDP & BPC meeting to decide and endorse critical impact projects for their districts in line with their district development plans.
All JDP & BPC nominated and endorsed project submissions have to be properly scoped and designed before sending the documentation to the ORD for vetting process.