Desie Heita
Windhoek-Although there has been a decrease of N$125 million in the development budget allocation for //Kharas Region, the budget for 2017/18 has still allowed for the continuation of crucial developmental aspects such as the eradication of the bucket system in the region.
This year’s development budget allocation has only made available funding for 33 new development projects, and the funding for the existing projects was cut by 23 percent while the funds for the existing projects for the next three years were capped at N$24.2 billion.
With a total allocation of N$844.208 million, a decrease of 12.9 percent from the N$969.325 million allocation of the previous year, the money for //Kharas Region would mainly go towards the provision of the “eradication of the bucket toilet system.” That programme alone received N$15 million for the current year.
The funding for green schemes in the region received an increase of N$2 million, and is now at N$22 million, while the money for the construction of a dam and water provision is at N$407.6 million for the year.
There was also provision made for agro-processing development, under the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development, which is at N$10.6 million, while the provision for the construction of sides and premises for industrial estate in the region was allocated N$10 million. There is a further N$15 million provision for the construction of garment factories.
The allocation for the land purchase programme decreased this year to N$25 million down from the N$100 million that was allocated the previous financial year.
Nevertheless, the allocation for the upgrading of transport infrastructure in the region remains strong and sound. There is a N$60 million allocation for the upgrading of the 100-kilometre road between Oranjemund and Rosh Pinah, and N$25 million for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the railway between Aus and Lüderitz. There is further an allocation of N$14 million for the construction of access roads to schools and clinics in the region.
The allocation to the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development for the construction of services infrastructure in the region has decreased from N$85 million to N$52 million. The money is to be spent on erecting services infrastructure in Lüderitz, Keetmanshoop, which each gets N$4 million. Koës gets N$2 million, Bethanie gets N$3 million, Karasburg receives N$3 million, Aroab receives N$2 million while Oranjemund gets N$4 million.
The safety ministry has budgeted to spend more than double its spending of last year. It has budgeted N$40 million for the upgrading of police stations, and N$30 million for the provision of accommodation for staff members. Last year the ministry had a provision of N$13.9 million only for new police stations at Berseba and Karasburg, as well as accommodation for police officers.
The budget for the defence ministry’s construction of a base at Keetmanshoop has decreased to N$4.8 million for this year, down from nearly N$12 million allocated last year.