Balaka District Council on Wednesday approved a proposed budget of 20 billion Kwacha for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Speaking soon after approving the budget, Director of Planning and Development for Balaka District Council, Chris Nawata said the council intends to implement a number of development projects in the 2024-2025 financial year.
Nawata was upbeat that the council will ensure financial prudence and that expenditure will follow budget lines.
“We are going to ensure that funds in this budget are used strictly for the intended purpose, and, at the same time enhancing projects monitoring and supervision in order to achieve quality service delivery for the betterment of the citizens of the district,” said Nawata.
Presenting the budget, chairperson of the Audit and Finance Committee, councillor Michael Matthias Chauluka said the funds will be sourced from central government transfers, development partners as well as locally generated revenue.
Chauluka disclosed that out of the total budget, 15 billion Kwacha will cater for salaries while the remaining 5 billion Kwacha has been allocated to cover various projects.
Chauluka further said Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has been revised upwards to 150 Million Kwacha per Constituency per year from 100 Million Kwacha.
In terms of funds distribution, the education sector has been allocated a lion’s share, getting an allocation of K626, 375,318.00 followed by the health sector which has been allocated K586, 596, 296.00.
The Agriculture sector has been allocated K93, 684, 250.00 and anchoring the list is the Nutrition sector which has received K3, 049, 767.00.
Meanwhile, vice chairperson for the Balaka Civil Society Organizations Network, Mercy Chakoma, while expressing ignorance if the citizens were consulted to seek their inputs, has commended the council for the budget saying it is representing important priorities for the district.
“We expect high quality and efficient services from the government.We hope that if properly funded as budgeted, quality will beat quantity and there should not be excuses in service provision,” said Chakoma.
