SALIMA: As one way of improving its financial management, the Salima district council has launched a special campaign that aims at increasing revenue collection across the district.

Among other things, the council intends to introduce tax for bicycle taxi operators.

Director of Finance at Salima District council Mr. Steve Kanyerere says the exercise would help reduce the council’s overdependence on government subventions.

According to Mr. Kanyerere, the Salima District council has been failing to mobilize enough funds from revenue collection in the past years.

He said the development has been negatively affecting operations at the council as it has been paralyzing various planned development activities in the end.

He said the council is optimistic that a month long campaign that has been launched will help the council to reduce its overdependence on other recurrent transaction funding to fulfill its fiscal budget annually.

The Director of Finance said in the past the council has been borrowing ORT funds to implement some of its planned activities, a development he said has been compromising management of finances at the council.

Among other activities, the campaign will see the council improving collection of market fees in all markets within the council’s jurisdiction, bar licensing as well as collection of town rates.

Meanwhile, plans are underway for the council to introduce tax amongst bicycle taxi operators as another way of improving collection of revenue.  – Zodiak Online