Govt releases Revised Sixth National Development Plan – QFM

In a statement released to Qfm News by Secretary to Treasury Fredson Yamba, President Michael Sata says the R-SNDP takes on board the priorities of the Patriotic Front (PF) Government.

President Sata says like other previous plans, the R-SNDP is aimed at achieving the objectives set out in the Vision 2030 of becoming a prosperous middle-income country by 2030.

He states that the R-SNDP is primarily an investment plan which contains quantifiable programmes to inform sector planning and budgeting processes. 

President Sata says these programmes are expected to respond to the strategic focus of the Plan and its theme of People Centered Economic Growth and Development. 

He says the programmes are well elaborated in the implementation plan of the R-SNDP and that the Plan focuses on public capital investments that have a bias to rural development and job creation so as to achieve inclusive growth. 

The President further notes that the main investment areas are in Skills Development, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Energy and Infrastructure Development particularly transport infrastructure while enhancing human development related Sectors of Water and Sanitation, Education and Health.

He says other equally important programmes which are mainly of recurrent nature will be provided for in the respective sector policies and shall accordingly be given priority in the annual budgets adding that that the R-SNDP does not render Sector policies and plans irrelevant or insignificant, but that the two will complement each other.
The Head of State further states that the Plan reaffirms Government’s commitment of making economic growth beneficial to all and therefore provides the framework for investment in the medium term in order to accelerate socioeconomic development. 

He says it provides a comprehensive medium term strategy for an all-inclusive and sustainable development agenda and builds on the growing strength of the economy and also addresses weaknesses and challenges faced during the implementation of the previous National Development Plans against a backdrop of good economic performance in 2011 and 2012 with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.8 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively, against the targeted growth rates of 6.4 percent and 7.0 percent.
President Sata has since urged all Zambians from different walks of life to be fully committed and participate in the implementation of this Plan at an accelerated rate. 

Meanwhile Mr. Yamba notes that to symbolize the release, the foreword in the R-SNDP, signed by President Sata has been adapted as the official statement.

He says in a few weeks time, the Ministry of Finance will commence dissemination and outreach programmes at national, provincial and district levels to sensitize various stakeholders and members of the public on the connective between the PF Manifesto, the R-SNDP and the 2015 National Budget.