By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
THE Treasury last month released K5.63 billion for development programmes and Government operations.
Of this amount, K2.14 billion was for personal emoluments for public service workers, K1.5 billion went towards debt service, and K799 million was released for grants while the remainder of K1.22 billion went to other key programmes including capital projects.
K341 million was disbursed to ministries, provinces and other spending agencies for operations and for implementation of planned programmes and activities.
This is according to a statement issued by head of public relations at the ministry of Finance Chileshe Kandeta.
The Auditor General’s office was given K15 million for activity implementation, including for the production of the 2017 Audited financial report by 30th September, 2018.
The requirement to produce the Audited financial report was constitutional.
In addition, as part of the broader Financial Management Reforms, the Auditor General has been capacitated to undertake a wide range of audits on public resources and public service operations.
“Of the amount released for grants, K92 million went to the ministry of Agriculture for the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP),” Mr Kandeta said.
The Food Reserve Agency received K30 million to cater for costs associated with protecting, preserving, and maintaining food in various storage facilities across the country, while K4 million was released for the 2017/2018 Agricultural Season Crop Survey.
Other funds were disbursed for the Local Government Equalisation Fund, purchase of drugs, retirees pension, for the clearing of arrears for cases determined by the courts against the Government and towards Government Printers among others.
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe reiterated the Government had embarked on the implementation of public financial management reforms to ensure and enshrine in law, the prudent use of public funds.