Plan focuses on rural districts

By MICHAEL LAI
A NEW ‘district-town improvement programme’ will recognise the need to build facilities in rural districts and keep public servants there, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Richard Maru says.
Maru said this in Port Moresby yesterday following concern over two deserted districts of Madang, Middle Ramu and Rai Coast, over the last five
years.
“It is a programme where National Government recognises the need to build facilities in the districts and keeps the key public servants in the district,” he said.
“We have budgeted K50 million for the programme in the 2019 budget.”
Maru said the programme included good health facilities, water and sewerage systems, good roads, better schools, and other facilities needed by public servants.
He said it would be rolled out very soon after approval by National Executive Council (NEC).
“The policy submission of that will be going to NEC in coming weeks,” he said.
“Once the policy is approved, the funds will be funded under the new scheme.
“We will partner with districts and provinces to roll it out.
“It would be nice for the prime minister to launch that programme in one of the two districts: Middle Ramu and Rai Coast in Madang.”
Maru said Saidor, headquarters of Rai Coast, needed a road of over 100km from Erima with nine bridges.
He said Middle Ramu needed another 68km to link to the Baiyer-Madang Road now under construction.
“We need a holistic plan to attend to the roads,” Maru said.
“We need housing to attract public servants or police
“We need to look at health facilities.
“All of that will keep public servants in the district and do their duties.”