AfricaPress-Tanzania: The government has outlined twelve key priority areas for enhanced rural and urban water supply, which includes an ambitious Special Programme for Rain Water Harvesting.
This was revealed by the Minister for Water, Professor Makame Mbarawa yesterday when moving his budget for the 2020/2021 fiscal year in Parliament.
Prof Mbarawa said that in order to ensure that the programme succeeds, the government will implement various strategies including putting up proper water infrastructure in public institutions like schools, hospitals and other buildings.
“During the implementation of the programme, the general public will be engaged directly by receiving information at every stage of rain harvesting as well as the amount of money that will be saved through the programme,’’ he noted.
According to the minister, the government in collaboration with development partners was expecting to conduct the National Rain Harvesting Campaign, adding that it was estimated that the initial stage of its implementation of the project about 4bn/- will be spent.
For the 2020/2021 Financial Year, Prof Mbarawa requested the House to approve 733.3bn/- for recurrent and development expenditure. MPs unanimously endorsed the budget later yesterday evening.
Divulging on the ministry’s plans, Prof Mbarawa said the government would conclude the implementation of various water projects in urban areas which were still ongoing.
In this regard, he noted, his ministry had allocated 558.6bn/- for completion of those projects out of which 280.9bn/- was to be obtained from local revenue while the remaining 277.7bn/- would be sourced outside the country.
In rural areas, Prof Mbarawa said, the government was fully committed to implementing unfinished projects, whereas about 236bn/- had been allocated to implement those projects.
Also, during the 2020/2021 Financial Year, the ministry would accomplish the installation of Laboratory Information Management System in all the 16 laboratories dealing with water standards countrywide.
The Water Minister also said that the government was equally committed to add seven more accredited water laboratories from the current one lab found in Mwanza Region.
Among notable water projects that the government expects to be implemented in urban areas, according to the minister include those in Nyashimo, Bariadi, Lagangabilili, Maswa na Mwanhuzi.
The Chairman of Parliamentary committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Water, Mahmoud Mgimwa commended the government for the decision to establish Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (RUWASA) during the 2019/2020 Financial Year.
“Since the establishment of RUWASA in July 2019, we observed an increase in the implementation of water projects from 53 per cent in July 2019 to 64.8 per cent in November 2019,’’ he stated.
