WITH over K500 Million cash disbursed in Central Province, the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and the Emergency Cash Transfer are some of government’s most successful programmes this year, Central Province Minister Mwabashike Nkulukusa has said.
Mr Nkulukusa notes that a total of K360, 482 has been disbursed benefitting 105,598 households out of which 62,078 have received the monies through mobile money transactions while 43,520 have received the monies over the counter.
He told ZANIS in Kabwe that all the beneficiaries who were being paid on a bimonthly basis have received their dues from January up to October.
“They are just waiting to be paid their November and December dues,” he said.
Mr Nkulukusa explained that 94,314 of the beneficiaries are able bodied while 11,284 are differently abled.
Under the Emergency Cash Transfer, Mr Nkulukusa stated that a total of K241, 483,200 has been disbursed in all the 11 districts of the Province since May when the Programme started.
He emphasised that the programme is intended to mitigate hunger in view of the poor 2023/24 agriculture season noting that many households were made vulnerable.
“The Emergency Cash Transfer is only for a period of one year, while those under the normal SCT will continue to receive monies as was the cash even before the introduction of the Emergency Cash,’ he said.
Mr Nkulukusa stated that the Emergency Cash Transfer is among government interventions aimed to mitigate hunger.
He also noted that the eight districts which benefited in the Emergency Wetland Programme under the department of Community Development improved household food security as vulnerable farmers received maize seed, legume seed and fertilizer.
Mr Nkulukusa stated the newly introduced Emergency Wetland pack under the department of Community Development performed fairly well compared to the ordinary wetland programme by the same department.
He stated that the government spent K117,450,000 on the programme which benefitted farmer’s neighboring water bodies in Kabwe, Mkushi, Mumbwa, Chisamba, Kapiri Mposhi and Chibombo under the Emergency Wetland Programme.
“The other districts which benefited from the programme are Shibuyunji and Chitambo. I must say that those who benefitted from the programme performed well compared to those that under the normal wetland programme,” he said.
He noted that the Emergency Wetland Programme benefitted 26,100 while the ordinary Wetland Programme benefitted 5,500 farmers to secure household food security.
Mr Nkulukusa also announced that the Food Security Pack which benefitted 18,809 vulnerable but viable farmers did not do well.
“17,137 experienced total crop failure owing to the drought and only those from Chitambo and Serenje succeeded under this programme as the two districts received favorable rains,” he said.
He noted that K84,640,500 was spent on the programme among targeted districts.
