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Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Rural District Council has committed US$2,4 million to implementation of capital projects this year, an official has said.
In an interview yesterday, the council’s chief executive Mr Albert Mbedzi said the bulk of the money would go to rehabilitation of clinics, access roads, dip tanks,                 boreholes, community halls, irrigation schemes and schools.
Beitbridge falls under natural farming region five and crops need irrigation to thrive.
Mr Mbedzi said they also had a food-for-work programme that they were running with the Department of Social Welfare.
The department has availed US$193 000 for the programme.
“We have committed US$2,4 million in this year’s fiscal budget to development projects across the district.
“Some of the funds will be derived from development levies and other taxes and rates.
“As a local authority we are urging people to pay their dues to us so that we remain viable.
“Most of our infrastructure in communal areas is in bad shape and we are repairing it at great cost.
“We are going to rehabilitate dip tanks, major access roads, schools, clinics and irrigation schemes.
“The bad state of some of the roads has impacted badly on the availability of transport for the rural community and as a responsible council we are addressing these challenges.”
He said work on construction of state-of-the-art clinics in Masera, Swereki and Makhakavule was at an advanced stage.
A community hall is also nearing completion in Chasvingo, ward three.
Mr Mbedzi said, “Our target is to get two-thirds of these clinics functioning at full capacity by the end of this month.”
He said they were working with Care International to repair the 63-hectare Tshikwalakwala Irrigation Scheme in the eastern part of the district.
The council CEO said they had raised US$43 000 through Campfire programmes last year and disbursement of these funds would be done in the next two            weeks.
He said Tshikwalakwala villagers would get the largest chunk of US$14 000 of the funds for excelling in natural resources management.