Defence force gets K7mil increase in 2021 budget

The National National
Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu (left) with Southern Highlands Governor William Powi leaving parliament after the passing of the 2021 national budget on Tuesday. – Nationalpic by KENNEDY BANI

THE 2021 Budget for the PNG Defence Force has increased by about K7 million compared to this year.
PNGDF have been allocated K305.331 million for next year from the K298.237mil it received this year.
PNGDF’s civic programme on road and bridge construction has been funded with the Nomananeng-Indagen link road in Kabwum, Morobe, with K5mil.
The PNGDF support services received K236.070mil an increase of K17.102mil from last year’s allocation of K218.968mil.
Units such as the defence intelligence branch, force preparation, reserve force, joint operation commander and catering received marginal increases in funding while allocations for units and programmes were reduced.
The budget for force preparation and reserve force each had K69.3mil in this year’s budget and K69.5mil in the 2021 budget – increases of K200,000 each.
The joint operation command received K39.1mil in this year’s budget and will get K39.5 million next year, an increase of K400,000.
The catering unit had no funding this year but will receive K36.5mil in the 2021 budget.
The defence intelligence branch had K196.3 million in this year’s budget and will receive K196.5mil next year, a K200,000 increase.