|
|
|
The role of parliament in the implementation of the PRSP
|
|
| |
Annexure
Pre-Budget Report of the Budget and Finance Committee to the National Assembly, June 2001
Recommendations
- Refer the budget to the Budget and Finance Committees for Public hearings. Allow at least 21 days for debate, and longer if needed to consider all significant inputs.
- Include funds in the budget to enable oversight Committees to do their work professionally, and for training for members of oversight Committees whose portfolios are critical for poverty reduction.
- Designate in the budget a limited number of specific programmes that are likely to be most important for reducing poverty. Cost the inputs for these programmes realistically, and code all funds budgeted for these programmes from all sources as Priority Poverty Expenditures.
- Guarantee that total funds actually spent on programmes designated, as Priority Poverty Expenditures will not be less than the amount budgeted for them from all sources, and seek prior approval from Parliament for any change in the funding for Priority Poverty Expenditures.
- Include in the budget a complete accounting of all uses of HIPC funds for 2001/2002, and commit to use HIPC funds exclusively for designated Priority Poverty Expenditures. Commit to provide quarterly reports on uses of HIPC funds as outlined in Section 3.2.3.
- Increase membership of PRSP working groups and participation in district consultations to ensure participation by poor Malawians, Women, people with frontline service delivery experience, and MPs. Increase administrative and technical support to ensure adequate notice of meetings and assistance as needed. Include representatives from the Budget and Finance Committee and Civil Society on the Technical committee for the PRSP. Take the trouble to have MPs actively participate.
- Substantially increase the budget for Government extension services, and designate the budget as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for support for programmes that provide credit and related services to poor farmers, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for the Targeted Inputs Programme(TIP), include funds adequate to ensure proper
- distribution and associated delivery of extension services, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for training primary school teachers, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for personnel emoluments (salaries and benefits) for teachers, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for teaching and learning materials for primary schools, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increased the budget for training front-line health care professionals, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for personnel emoluments (salaries and benefits) for front-line health care professionals, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for personnel emoluments (salaries and benefits) for front-line health care professionals including nurses, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for drugs and medical supplies, include adequate funds for proper distribution and increased security for drug stores, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for rehabilitating and constructing rural roads and bridges, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budget for constructing safe drinking water systems, include funds for community training in maintenance, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
- Substantially increase the budgets for training and employment for the Police Service (to increase the number of trained officers), and for instituting community policing, particularly in rural areas. Include in the budgets adequate funds for equipment and other materials, and designate the same as Priority Poverty Expenditure.
|
|
Related documents