The 2010 fiscal year spending from the Consolidated Fund on pro-poor activities is estimated at GH�2.3 billion, reflecting an increase of 28 per cent over the projected figure of GH�1.8 billion.
This amount will go to support basic education, primary health care, poverty-focused agriculture, provision of rural water, construction of feeder roads and rural electrification, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor announced in the government's budget to Parliament.
The Minister said an amount of GH�25.9 million had also been provided to support electricity consumption by poor households, popularly known as the Electricity Lifeline Payments.
"For safety net programmes, GH�41.5 million has been provided by the Government from the Consolidated Fund."
The Minister said planned HIPC Funds for the 2010 fiscal year would amount to GH�261.6 million, of which GH�52.3 million had been allocated for domestic interest payments, and the remaining GH�168.9 million for sectoral programmes.
Dr Duffuor said as part of its commitment to equity and balanced regional development, the National Democratic Congress made a commitment in its manifesto to adopt special measures that would accelerate the pace of development of the most deprived areas of the country and to narrow the development gaps between those areas and the rest of the country.
"We have therefore expanded the geographical coverage of the Northern Development Fund to include the entire Northern Savannah and also setting up an authority to co-ordinate and facilitate the implementation of a comprehensive development framework for the Northern Savannah."
Dr Duffuour said total Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) spending for 2010 was projected at GH�103.8 million.
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