Development Budget Financial year 2021/2022
A sum of P14.75 billion is proposed for the Development Budget in the 2021/2022 Financial Year.
The largest share of the proposed Development Budget, at P3.40 billion or 23.06 percent, has been allocated to the Ministry of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services. Water projects account for P2.93 billion or 85.0 percent of the Ministry’s allocation. Major investment in water and sanitation infrastructure includes the ongoing construction of the Maun Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme, which will provide potable water and sanitation networks to benefit the localities of Sexaxa, Matsaudi, Sekampane and Shorobe. In the southern part of the country, the construction of the Masama – Mmamashia 100 kilometre pipeline has commenced. The project will inject an additional sixty-four million cubic litres of water per day (64Ml/day) into the Greater Gaborone, Lobatse, Kanye, Ramotswa, Molepolole and Borolong areas. The project is expected to be completed by May 2021.
Other significant water projects include the next phase of North South Carrier project under the NSC 2.2 Palapye – Mmamashia Water Pipeline, including the Mmamashia Water Treatment Plant expansion; NSC 2.3 Mmamashia – Gaborone Pipeline and implementation of Gaborone Water Master Plan; implementation of Lobatse Water Master Plan; Moshupa Sanitation project; connection of Tswapong South villages to the North South Carrier. The Mahalapye and Palapye Water Treatment works are ongoing and are scheduled for completion in December 2021. Government is also constructing a Water Treatment Plant in Kasane, which is scheduled to be completed in March 2023.
North East/Tutume Water Supply project, which entails upgrading and remedial works in 52 villages in the two districts will be financed under the World Bank supported programme,
The second largest share at P1.85 billion or 12.51 percent is allocated to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Roads to be constructed include the Nata-Maun road, dualling of A1 and Gaborone Eastern by-pass. Other transport projects to be implemented in the coming year include the Francistown-Nata, Maun-Mohembo, Palapye- Martin’s Drift and Mmathethe-Bray roads; and the Mmamabula-Lephalale and Mosetse-Kazungula railway projects. Other infrastructure projects being implemented by the Ministry are the Traffic Control Modernisation and Centralised Traffic Control for the Greater Gaborone Area. The budget also caters for Information Communication Technology (ICT) projects, being Government Data Network upgrading, National Backbone networks, Government Data Centre and Local Access Network.
The third largest share of the proposed Development Budget is allocated to the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security’s at P1.65 billion.
This allocation is for the Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service, Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation Services, for the provision of infrastructure and procurement of air assets, vehicles, and Defence and communication equipment.
The Ministry of Basic Education (MoBE) takes the fourth largest share of the proposed Development Budget at P1.61 billion or 10.91 percent. To cater for School Digitization initiatives, MoBE still has to procure devices for ICT based learning for all learners and teachers from standard 5 to Form 5 level.
The fifth-largest allocation goes to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, at P1.45 billion or 9.85 percent. The projects under the Ministry include the Primary School Backlog Eradication Programme; Tutume Internal Roads and Bus rank; and Gabane and Kang Infrastructure Development.
The Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security (MOA) takes the sixth largest share of the proposed Development Budget at P978.5 million or 6.63 percent. The proposed budget caters for the stepping up of projects under the Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development II (LIMID) Programme.
In addition, parts of the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), will be refurbished.
The remaining Ministries/Departments share the balance of the proposed Development Budget of P5.46 billion or 37 percent. The major projects are staff houses and maintenance of schools; the Poverty Eradication Programme; housing schemes like Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) poverty alleviation scheme and destitute housing for the low income groups. The budget also caters for refurbishment of brigades, which is part of the youth empowerment initiative. Some of the projects include construction of mini-health centres at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Maun Airport and Kasane Airport as well as upgrading health care facilities in Maun and Kasane, redevelopment and repair of Lobatse Athlone Hospital, and further development of Mahalapye and Sekgoma Hospitals.
The budget also includes upgrading the National Identification System (NIS) to enable the development of a Biometric National Identity Card. Other ongoing projects include North–West Transmission Grid Connection; Rural Electrification; and Transmission Backbone for Mochudi, Government Enclave and Gaborone Central. The budget will also cater for the Innovation Fund; Research Fund; and Research Capacity Building.
