THE National Planning Commission says the Budget Statement as read by Minister of Finance, Hon. Felix Mlusu is ‘a very commendable attempt by the Minister in aligning the budget to the Malawi 2063 agenda which defines Malawian’s aspirations’.

In a statement released by the NPC, its Director General Dr. Thomas Munthali, the NPC says the Minister showed government’s commitment to the vision through constant ‘reference to the various components of the budget linking to MW2063 pillars and enablers and was specific on which ones’.

In the statement, Munthali also credited the Minister for addressing what he called, ‘the President’s State of the Nation near- term priorities of wealth creation, job creation and food security’. The NPC says while the allocation to the development budget remains low, it has doubled to around 10% if you add the K1trillion local development bond.

The NPC called then on members of parliament to assess the budget’s ability to balance between economic and social sectors. In the budget statement the Finance Minister also hinted at government financing 15 major development projects which have received major commendations from the NPC for government’s commitment to see through continuing or new projects of national importance even if began by the previous regime.

 The NPC Director General then calls on Malawians to own the dream and take active part in transforming the country.

‘The real movers of our development agenda, however, beyond the implementing MDA’s and supporting non – state actors, is the hardworking Malawian. Munthali says national output that needs to be shared is a collection of ‘individual citizen’s contributions. If we work hard and contribute more, Government will have more to finance our social – economic needs’.

In the budget statement, Mlusu said the total revenues and grants for the 2021-22 Financial Year (FY) are estimated at K1,271.26 billion (12 percent of nominal GDP) comprising K1,100.95 billion in domestic revenues and K170.31 billion in grants.

The projection is premised on tax revenues at 82%, other revenues at 4.5% and grants from development partners at 13.4%. In the budget, rural development has been allocated K69.8 billion, K23.3 billion for construction of city roads, K7.7 billion for Constituency Development Fund, K3.4 billion for District Development Fund and K2.8 billion for construction of water structures which includes boreholes.