Friday, March 29, 2024

PMRC happy with proposed 2019 national budget

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Minister of Finance ,Margaret Mwanakatwe arrives at parliament building to presents eagerly-anticipated 2019 national budget in Lusaka.
Minister of Finance ,Margaret Mwanakatwe arrives at parliament building to presents eagerly-anticipated 2019 national budget in Lusaka.

The Policy Monitoring and Research Center (PMRC) says the proposed 2019 National budget by Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe has addressed key issues.

PMRC Executive Director Bernadette Deka said most of its budgetary expectations have been addressed in the proposed national budget.

She was speaking to Journalists shortly after Minister of Finance Margaret Mwanakatwe presented the 2019 national budget in Parliament today.

Ms Deka said the increase in the funding allocation to the social protection sector is a true reflection of the Patriotic Front Party (PF) manifesto which places an emphases on uplifting the living standards of people.

Ms.Deka cited the increased allocation to the social protection programmes and the agriculture sector among the sectors that have been given the much needed attention.

“As a think tank we are happy that our expectations have been met by today’s budget address. We are happy with the increase in allocation in the social protection and agriculture sectors. This really stands to show that this is a pro-poor government that has remained true to its words,” she said

Ms Deka further said the proposed allocation to the social protection sector will be a face lift to various programmes being undertaken.

Government has this year allocated K699.5 million to the social protection programmes from last year’s K550 million plus a grant of K110.9 million to all social protection programmes.

The Agriculture sector has been allocated K5.4 billion which also caters for the Livestock and fisheries.

Earlier, Minister of Finance, Margaret Mwanakatwe presented K86.8 billion for 2019 national budget which translates into 28.9 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Ms Mwanakatwe says the budget has been formulated against the backdrop of the austerity measures being implemented by government to deliver fiscal consolidation.

She stated that the budget provides a firm foundation for the country to return moderate debt levels, entrench overall macroeconomic stability and promote sustained and inclusive growth.

She added that the budget proposes a bold and substantial changes in revenue mobilisation and spending strategies in support of the country’s goal for fiscal consolidation.

Ms. Mwanakatwe stressed that the proposed measures will ensure that domestic revenue as a proportion of GDP increases to 18.7 percent from 17.7 percent in 2018.

She pointed out that on the expenditure side, government will rationalise current expenditures within the context of the announced austerity measures.

Meanwhile, Ms. Mwanakatwe has noted that the 2019 budget aims at achieving a fiscal deficit of not more than 6.5 percent of GDP from the projected 7.4 percent in 2018.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Not a good budget bcoz its a ka-small $7bn budget due to Lungu’s poor economic growth and misguided policies. Angola has a $45bn budget and Kenya has a budget of $30bn.

    • Who cares about figures, the 2019 budget is presented by a clean looking woman. And comments from Bernandette are beauty, like herself. Nawakwi need comment too.
      Bring it on women!! A shame those drunkhard.
      I love women, then some guy fires Emerine Kabanshi, but some of these friends of mine katwishi ifyo bafwaya.
      Bring Emerine Kabanshi back!!

    • Problem with Madam Deka is she is a well known PF cader and sorry to say she lacks merit to occupy that position. ZIPAR is a government aided research center but it commands far much more respect from me in how they form their opinion on National economic matters. So madam Deka your wish was for GRZ to reduce allocation to health and education and increase allocation to public order? I agree mine taxes but even with this we shall wait for mines to complain to ECL before it is all reversed

    • Think before you comment, you can not compare kudu to a lion the amount of food required for lion to survive its very different from a kudu’s need to survive, Angola’s GDP is over 100 billion US dollar while Zambia is GDP is only 27 billion dollar you can not expect Zambia to have same budget as Angola, Angola’s national production and Zambia’s national production are very different

    • Your comment is not making any sense, look at America’s budget do you want Zambia to be making the same budget as well? Think before you comment otherwise you are showing your thinking capacity.

    • Ignorant.

      How many times bigger are the populations of Angola & Kenya? Would you rather live in Angola and pay US$200 for a burger which costs US$3 in Zambia. That Angola budget as big as it is has not made Angola a better place to live in than Zambia.

  2. WE OWE CHINA US$9.7bln and u budget ka us$7bln this VINDICATES SOCIAL MEDIA THAT CHINA HAS GRABBED ZNBC ,ZESCO AND KKIA ALL IS IN PLAIN WHITE FROM THE KA BUDGET

    • @GK and @PM Ebupuba ubu, so want a $1 trillion Budget based on what income? You think HH kuti ailuka, or just pluck it from the air. Please put brain mu gear before blogging ama nonsense.

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