Page 19 - issue 26

In The News 19

and 10 percent thereafter; provision of fully serviced land; Projects underway around the country
fast tracking of land allocation; providing single window and
streamlined investor facilitation processes; waiver on transfer
duty on land and property; and property tax exemption for • North-South Carrier 2 from Palapye – Mmamashia -
the first five (5) years of operation. Gaborone, which is meant to provide water to the southern
part of Botswana; Kanye NSC Connection, Moshupa sanitation
Budget Allocation to Ministries: project, Land servicing at Mochudi, Selibe Phikwe, Mabutsane,
Gantsi and Moshupa as well as the Botswana Emergency
Water allocated P1.372 billion; Transport allocated P1.3 Water Security and Efficiency project partly funded through
billion; Agriculture allocated P862 million; ICT allocated P823 the World Bank.
million; Land Servicing allocated P541.5 million; and Energy
allocated P521 million. • Construction of police stations and staff houses and
the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation Services for
Five Ministries, viz: Basic Education (P 9.01 billion), Defence provision of prison infrastructure, equipment and storage
Justice and Security (P 8.56 billion), Health and Wellness facilities.
(P 7.73 billion), Local Government and Rural Development
(P7.15 billion) and Tertiary Education Research Science and • Major roads and bridge projects, including
Technology (P 4.89 billion), account for 60.2 percent of the Mohembo bridge; construction of three intersections along
total Ministerial recurrent budget. the KT Motsete Drive; Mogoditshane–Gabane-Mmankgodi
road; Gaborone–Boatle dualling; Mulambakwena-Tshesebe;
Other Ministries with substantial budget allocation are Ministry Dibete-Mookane-Machaneng;Mmandunyane-Shashe
of Transport and Communications (P1.93 billion); Ministry of Mooke-Mathagwane; Makalamabedi-Matopi bitumen roads,
Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration as well as Traffic Control Modernisation and Centralised
(P1.65 billion); Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Traffic Control for the Greater Gaborone Area. Government
Security (P1.39 billion); Ministry of Investment, Trade and Data Network upgrading, National Backbone networks,
Industry (P1.07 billion); Ministry of Land Management, Water Government Data Centre and Local Access Network.
and Sanitation Services (P1.04 billion) and Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development (P1.00 billion). The remaining • Primary School Backlog Eradication Programme;
recommended Ministerial Recurrent budget of P5.95 billion community development projects, internal roads and tribal
is shared among other Ministries including Extra-Ministerial administration infrastructure development.
Departments.
• North–West Transmission Grid Connection, Rural
Development Budget: Electrification, Morupule B Remedial Works and Transmission
Backbone for Mochudi, Government Enclave and Gaborone
Central.
The proposed Development Budget for 2020/2021 Financial • ISPAAD, LIMID, and refurbishment of the Botswana
Year is P12.03 billion. The proposed Development Budget University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. As indicated
takes into account the capacity constraints in the economy earlier, Government will reorient all programmes, including
.As a result, over 80 percent of the proposed development agricultural programmes, to improve productivity in their
budget will mainly be for continued implementation of delivery and impact on the beneficiaries.
ongoing projects, such as in the Water, Energy, Roads and
ICT sectors as the key economic drivers, which support the • staff houses and maintenance of primary schools;
transformation agenda. Poverty Eradication Programme; construction and upgrading
of health facilities such as Tutume, Moshupa, Shakawe, and
- The Economy and Employment TWG (Thematic Working Letlhakeng Hospitals; housing schemes, such as the Self Help
Group) gets the largest share of the Development Budge t Housing Agency (SHHA), poverty alleviation scheme and
ceiling at P6.93 billion. destitute housing for the low income groups. The budget also
-The Social Upliftment TWG’s overall goal is to achieve a caters for refurbishment of brigade
dignified life for all citizens……The proposed budget for this
TWG is P2.53 billion.
-The Governance, Peace and Security TWG gets P2.40 billion.
-The Sustainable Environment TWG is allocated P164.57
millionrojects underway around the country

image credit :Botswana Gazette

www.engineermagazine.co.bw Issue 26 Feb-Mar 2020