The Department of Treasury has approved the Manus Provincial Government Budget of over K180 million that was presented recently to Prime Minister (PM) James Marape.
The Manus budget of K180, 594, 462 million was presented last week by the Manus Governor Mr. Charlie Benjamin, which include the Manus District Development Authority Budget for the 12 local level Government (LLG) to the PM to comply with the Section 105A of the organic Law on Provincial and LLG.
PM Marape was also pleased to announce that the Manus Provincial Budget and the Budgets for Enga, New Ireland Province and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have been approved as well.
Governor Benjamin expressed gratitude to the PM and the National Government for the budget allocation of the Service Improvement Program (SIP) and functional grants to his province, which include the infrastructure funding under the Connect PNG Program for the Manus Highway.
The budget earmarked forty (40) percent for development of infrastructure and related program as stimulus for economic growth of the island province.
The overall budget will be distributed according to expenditure with Infrastructure getting K54.4 million, Economic- K17.2 million, Education- K35.4 million, Health- K5.5 million and Personnel Emolument and Administration together totaled just over K52 million. Education takes the biggest slice of K3 million in the 2024 PSIP plan, economic programs at K2.7 million, infrastructure at K2 million and Administration at K1 million.
Education holds the lead again at K6 million in the 2024 DSIP, and everything else like Administration, Health, Law and Order, and Church Projects at K1 million each.
The 2024 Special Grant is as follows with economic sector getting K4 million, education and transport each at K2 million and infrastructure and Law and Order each at K1 million.
Manus is focused on increasing revenue by focusing on diversifying its sources of income and establishing a Special Economic Zone.