Sectoral policies get K8bil

 By JEFFREY ELAPA

ABOUT K8 billion of the K13 billion in the 2013 budget has been released to the sectoral policies of the Government, Finance Minister James Marape told Parliament yesterday.

He said about 40% (K178.5 million) of the development budgets had been remitted to the provinces, 20.5% (K183 million) to the district service improvement programmes and 19.9% (K29.4 million) to the local level government service improvement programmes.

He said the K8,3 billion (56.5%),  as warrants for the first quarter, was released to the sectoral polices of the Government on the basis of priorities, excluding revised budget allocations as follows:

• Education K576,298,824(44.5%)
• Health K509,611,709 (49.9%)
• Infrastructure K616,208,203 (48.4%)
• Economic K229,720,339 (52.5%)
• Law and order K362,453,308 (46.2%)
• Administrative K5,028,942,613 (77%)
• Provinces K979,630,067 (28.5%).

Marape said the Government would fund provincial treasury offices for the new Jiwaka and Hela provinces.

He said the Government would remit funds for programme in the 89 districts through the district treasuries.

Marape said as per the public finance management act, the Government had established 31 audit committees including nine provincial audit ones.

He said to avoid deficits, no funds would be remitted and expended outside the annual appropriation act for the relevant fiscal year.