Southern Highlands Provincial Government has passed its 2017 budget of K290 million.
Governor, William Powi, says the budget begins the start of a five-year multi-budget, focusing on implementing its strategic plan.
Governor Powi says that the previous budgets laid the foundation in fixing deteriorating services, and 2017 forward is for the building of new infrastructure.
Governor Powi said the K290 million will see a spread of funding over a period of five years.
In his budget speech, Governor Powi says law and order is also another sector to enforce.
He says, generally the Province has achieved a lot over the past four and half years with all the roads connected and upgraded, the education system making progress from 20th placing to 14th placing.
“That’s an achievement that we must be proud as we have made significant progress over the past four years.
“We have set the foundation and got our basic rights by fixing all our deteriorated services and now we are going to take off by moving into the construction phase of our development plan, and that is to build and construct impact projects throughout the province. Our strategic development plan under the construction phase sets the road map, the way forward for development in Southern Highlands.
He said 2017 budget appropriations of K298 million consist of:
K10 million PSIP,
K4 million carry over,
Kutubu Royalty K17 million,
IDG K10 m,
GST K10 m,
Moran Development levy of K10 m,
Moran Development grant of K24.6 m,
PNG LNG High Impact project K45 m,
PSG K2 m and
PRK dividends and others K10 m and,
K89 million of National Government operational grants.
