WINDHOEK – The total development budget for the //Kharas Region for the 2019/20 financial year, as tabled by Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein, on March 27, stands at N$695 994 000. Thereafter, during the remainder of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework the region’s development budget is expected to reduce to N$682 441 000 during 2020/21 and then to N$640 024 000 for 2021/22. 

The lion’s share of the 2019/20 development budget for the //Kharas Region, N$191 357 000, has been allocated to the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry for the construction of large dams, desalination plant and the provision of water to larger settlements. The agriculture ministry was also allocated N$24 million for the green scheme, including phase two of the Neckertal Dam irrigation project. 

Another major item on the region’s development agenda for the current financial year is the establishment of school hostels and N$70 million has been budgeted for this through the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. 

Then, just over N$36 million has been allocated to the Ministry of Works and Transport for the rehabilitation of the southern railway line section from Sandverhaar to Buchholzbrunn. Also, the same ministry will receive an additional N$26.6 million for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Aus to Lüderitz railway line. The works ministry also received N$20 million to fence off State-owned aerodromes. 

The Ministry of Land Reform has also received a sizeable chunk of the //Kharas Region’s development budget, with N$25 million budgeted for the Land Purchase Sub-Programme. 

The construction of the //Kharas Regional Office Park also received a major cash injection for the current financial year as it received an allocation of N$20 million to be implemented through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development. On top of this, another N$46 million has been allocated for the construction of services infrastructure for a number of communities in the //Kharas Region. 

Meanwhile, through the Ministry of Safety and Security, N$10 million has been allocated for the construction of police accommodation on the region as well as an additional N$10 million for the construction of a police station at Noordoewer. 
The Ministry of Health and Social Services in the //Kharas Region also received a sizeable allocation with close to N$14 million budgeted for the construction and upgrading of primary health care clinics and an additional N$11.7 million for primary health care centres. Another N$9 million has been made available for the upgrading and renovation of the Keetmanshoop hospital. 

For the Ministry of Justice in the region, N$16 million has been set aside for the construction of Ombudsman offices as well as an additional N$1.5 million for prefabricated courts in the region.