K3.4m budget to focus on social development

THIS year’s K3.4 billion Development Budget will not only focus on expenditure priorities to be implemented by Government but also cater to social development programmes funded by the Public Investment Programme.
National Planning and District Development Minister Paul Tiensten said the programme’s funds would be accessed by churches and civil society organisations for health and education services.
“…as well as support centres to enhance work to help the disadvantaged and most vulnerable members of society like youths, women, people with disabilities and people living with HIV/AIDS and violence,” he said.
He said this was the Government’s recognition of its limitations and its value for partnerships with NGOs such as churches and civil society organisations for effective service delivery in the rural areas.
“We are confident that through such joint partnership, social indicators can be improved,” he said.
Mr Tiensten also pointed out at the official launch of the second National Medium Development Goals (MDG) Progress report in Port Moresby yesterday that the Government recognised the enormous potential in these partners to manage and run programmes to address human development issues in remote locations.
He said through his ministry, the department responsible for planning was ready to take on and lead the issues and challenges to add maximum value to the nation.
“The MDG is important but its objectives cannot be fully achieved without localising it at the regional and provincial levels on a pilot basis, with the aim of gradually localising the MDG in all provinces, districts and local level governments.
“Each province will have their tailored provincial MDG targets and indicators and their customised version of PNGInfo to store data and monitor progresses,” Mr Tiensten said.