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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter

TREASURY has increased to ZW$1,135 billion its budget allocation for social safety nets to cushion vulnerable members of the public against drought-induced macro-economic challenges.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube revealed this yesterday while presenting his 2019 Mid-Year Budget Review Statement in Parliament. He said it was important that Government takes care of the less privileged so that they can withstand the prevailing economic hardships and drought. 

“Government has identified and scaled up social safety net programmes under health, education and social protection, which will see the initial budget increasing from ZW$267,6 million to ZW$1,135 billion, broken down as follows: social protection ZW$811,9 million; health care ZW$250,4 million and education ZWL$72.9 million,” said Prof Ncube. 

He said the recently-released Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment 2019 Livelihoods Assessment report shows that 5,5 million people would be food insecure during the peak hunger period.

The country experienced a drought due to poor rains that were received in the 2018/2019 rainy season resulting in subdued yields. The situation was worsened by Cyclone Idai, which affected the eastern parts of the country largely in Manicaland province. Prof Ncube said the drought situation has seen Government since January distributing food aid to vulnerable with 757 000 households benefiting. 

“In terms of support to these groups, Government has so far distributed 189 000 tonnes of grain in support of 757 000 households. The beneficiaries are in both rural and urban areas,” said Prof Ncube.

He said the safety nets include subsidising of commuting public through the provision of cheaper Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses.

“Government introduced an Urban Mass Public Transportation System as a safety net to cushion the public from increases in transport costs resulting from fuel price corrections after the introduction of the interbank foreign exchange market. This was also partly triggered by extortionate and exploitative behaviour by some public transport operators,” he said.

“In order to increase access and coverage, resources amounting to ZW$104 million have been provided in the context of this supplementary budget.”

Prof Ncube said Government was also pursuing the establishment of a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), which is a coordinated public transport network facilitated through railways and road transport for both urban and rural commuters.

 He said Government was conducting studies on how to implement the project. —@nqotshili