GOVERNMENT has approved Bikita Rural District Council (RDC)’s $800 million budget for the year 2022, a figure that is double that of the previous year.

Of the approved amount, $400 million will come from devolution funds.

Bikita RDC chief executive officer Peter Chibi yesterday told the  Daily News that the local authority will embark on various projects focusing on health and education with priority being given to the construction of five clinics.

 “Our 2022 budget of $800 million has just been approved by the minister (of Local Government July Moyo) and we are going to get $400 million from devolution funds. Our first priority is the construction of five clinics namely Uteke, Dungu, Chivara, Tafara and Nerumedzo clinics. This is very critical for us to address challenges pertaining to access to health services as most of our villagers walk for long distances to get to their nearest clinics,” he said.

He also revealed that villagers in areas like Dungu, Chivaka and Uteke walk for over 15km to their nearest  primary health facility.

As for the education sector, the council says it seeks to construct two classroom blocks at Cheninga School.

“We are looking forward to providing quality service in our district, hence we are looking at the education and health sector as critical areas,” he said.

Chibi further noted that there is also going to be the grading of 150 kilometres of the dusty roads in the district and installation of six solar pumped boreholes.

“The budget will also cover for eight bush pumps in the district’s three constituencies and to procure a refuse compactor,” he said.