APAC-Apac district has received Shs 1.174 billion under the Parish Development Model [PDM] aimed at moving households trapped in the subsistence economy to the money economy through emphasising agricultural value-chain development to increase commercial production.
The Apac district secretary for health and education, Sam Opira said the money was disbursed to PDM SACCOs even though the targeted beneficiaries are yet to access it to engage in commercial production.
“The beneficiaries cannot access the money since it was disbursed and we are appealing to the government to speed up the process so that people access the funds to engage in commercial production,” Opira said.
His comment followed the recent stakeholders’ meeting organised by the State Minister for Labour, employment, and industrial relations, Charles Okello Engola to discuss the status of PDM implementation in the district.
Under PDM, each of the 10, 594 parishes in the country is expected to receive Shs 100 million every financial year to operationalise the Parish Revolving Fund [PRF] as one way of empowering communities to engage in commercial enterprises such as coffee growing, piggery, and poultry keeping among several others.
Minister Engola assured Apac district leaders that government is committed to finalising the process people start accessing the money.
“The Government is doing what it takes to ensure that the PDM SACCO groups access the funds so far disbursed to kick off the implementation,” he said.
He said there are still procedural challenges that need to be addressed before the money is released to PDM beneficiary groups.
“I want to assure you that you should not worry because we shall release the Shs 100 mln for each parish in the country,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Local government and the PDM Secretariat, one year down the road in the implementation of the programme, 8, 654 PDM SACCOs have been registered in the country against the target of 10,594.
Further, the two agencies say RPF disbursements amounting to Shs 190.225bln have been processed to at least 7,609 PDM SACCOs. They said Shs 25mln per PDM SACCO will be provided for each quarter of the 2022 / 2023 financial year that ends on July 1, 2023.
https://thecooperator.news/govt-urged-to-expedite-release-of-pdm-funds-to-beneficiaries/
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