Harare | Friday
ZIMBABWE’S parliament on Thursday approved a 17,5-billion dollar (about US $316-million) supplementary budget, state television reported, to help the government meet soaring expenses in a crumbling economy.
Government expenses have risen 14% beyond what was planned for in the 2001 budget, the report said. The supplementary budget is to meet the shortfall until the 2002 budget is drafted in November.
The extra spending will come from interest savings Zimbabwe gained earlier in the year by restructuring its debt, the report said.
The report did not detail how the money would be spent, but said that some would go to defence and health spending.
Another portion would help the government buy maize to avert a food shortage, as parts of Zimbabwe are already beginning to suffer from hunger.
Normally self-sufficient, Zimbabwe is projected to suffer a 600 000 tonne shortfall in production of maize, the staple grain. – AFP
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