Answering a supplementary question by Salim Hemed Khamis (Chambani CUF), Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives David Mathayo David, said major drive behind the move was to enhance income for farmers.
He said the government decided to carry the burden of crop bodies by 100 per cent and provided them with money according to availability. The deputy minister said needs and expenditure of the bodies was accessed from time to time and the money availed might not be sufficient, but as was the case with other sectors, the crop bodies would be provided with money available.
Answering the basic question by the same legislator, Mr David said during the 2009/10 budget about 22.3bn/- had been set aside for the crop bodies. During the 2008/09 budget 21bn/- was dished out to the bodies while in the previous year, they were given 11.3bn/- and in 2006/07 14.8bn/-.
The legislator had sought to know why the government failed to meet budgetary needs of crop bodies after carrying the burden by 100 per cent. He also said the failure created misappropriation of revenues for the crop bodies officials, something Mr David said was not true.
Daily News
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