Some 3.1tr/- has been collected by the government in the first quarter of the 2013/2014 financial year, Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda told Parliament.
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda
However, the PM said the amount was short of the expected 3.59tr/- revenue during the July-September period of the current financial year.
The Premier made the statement as he was tabling a motion to postpone the 13th session of the National Assembly in Dodoma.
Mr Pinda said the government encountered a number of challenges in revenue collection. He mentioned some of the challenges as the delay in starting revenue collection. He cited other challenges as poor transport infrastructure especially railways and roads.
He said good infrastructure was imperative for a speedy economic growth as well as generating employment opportunities.
According to him, the government also spent a total of 3.8 trn/- in the same period. He said the amount is equivalent to 98.5 per cent of 3.85 trn/- which the government expected to spend.
He said 3.05tr/- was used as recurrent expenditure while a total of 747.9bn/- was used in implementing various development projects in the country.
Giving a breakdown on how the money was spent, he said a total of 182bn/- of recurrent and development expenditure were spent on roads, 229.2bn/- (energy sector) and 159.9 bn/- ( agriculture sector ) while 51.2 bn/- ( water sector).
The main challenge, he said the government encountered was the fact that the government expenditure had exceeded revenues collected. The PM said the development had compelled the government to borrow from internal sources. He said the government was determined to cut down its expenditures.
Mr Pinda also updated Members of Parliament on food situation in the country. According to him, as of October food supply in various parts of the country was satisfactory. He said according to an evaluation carried out in July/August food production in 2012/2013 season will be 14,383,845 tonnes.
The PM also said 61 district councils are expected to have food shortages across the country. They include Manyara, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Arusha, Dodoma, Lindi, Tanga, Singida, Mara, Morogoro, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Pwani, Mtwara, Kigoma and Tabora.
He asked them to closely follow up on getting food from areas with surplus. He asked Regional Commissioners and District Commissioners in the said areas to store enough food.
On security, Mr Pinda said the government had directed owners of business and other places which attract large numbers of people to instal CCTV cameras.
“Following the recent terror attack on Westgate Mall in Kenya, we have instructed owners of places which attract large numbers of people to instal CCTV cameras which will be connected to Police control room.
Parliament was adjourned to December 3, this year. Speaker Anne Makinda said the 14th session of the Parliament would be held in December instead of January, next year in order to give room for the Constituent Assembly which is expected to be held in January 2014.
By ORTON KIISHWEKO, Tanzania Daily Nes
