Meru government draws Sh12 billion budget

Meru County plans to spend Sh95.8 billion on development in the next 5 years.

The Meru County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP 2018-2022) was forwarded to the County Assembly last week.

Governor Kiraitu Murungi and his deputy Titus Ntuchiu said the CIDP was aligned to the Kenya's Vision 2030 and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda.

The county has started off the five-year plan with a Sh12 billion allocation to fund projects and operations for the 2018-2019 financial year.

However, successful implementation of the projects by the various departments faces a challenge as revenue projections for the year stand at Sh10.2 billion, leaving a Sh2 billion deficit to execute the plan.

The annual development plan was tabled by the County Assembly's physical planning committee chairman, Robert Kithinji yesterday.

Health department

Unlike in the past when the health department received the lion’s share of the budget, water and irrigation will receive the largest share this year, with Sh3.6 billion.

Roads, transport and energy have been allocated Sh1.5 billion while finance, economic planning and ICT got Sh1.4 billion.

A total of Sh920 million will go to development projects in 45 wards.

The county plans to buy a million macadamia seedlings and an equal number of avocado for distribution to farmers.These and construction of potato and banana factories are among agriculture projects allocated Sh435 million.

Education, technology, gender and culture department has been allocated Sh803 million to, among others, cater for Early Childhood Development and Education and sexual and gender-based violence centres and empowerment of people living with disabilities.