Bilum: Modernizing governance in rural Papua New Guinea

The Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD) oversees, coordinates and reports on the Government of Papua New Guinea's (GoPNG) policies and programs aimed at promoting equitable rural development. As 87% of the population lives in rural areas, this mandate holds significant potential to enhance national development and improve living standards.

The Service Improvement Program (SIP) oversees $650 million in annual government spending on health, education, justice, and infrastructure. Efficient management of these funds is crucial for driving the country’s development.

Bilum is a cloud based management system, housed within DIRD as part of their mandate to support district and provincial administrations to efficiently and effectively report on the implementation and impact of the Service Improvement Program (SIP) funds disbursed by the government for service delivery in rural and urban areas in PNG.

Designed to improve reporting on Service Improvement Programs (SIPs) expenditure across all 22 provinces and 96 districts, Bilum packs a serious analytical punch, enabling thorough assessment and reporting on public investments.

In a recent interview, Noah Mawe from the Catalpa Bilum Program took a deep dive into how Bilum is reforming district management in Papua New Guinea, straight from Mr. Steven Auwau, the Nuku District Finance Manager.

"We are one of the pilot districts in the country. Since the awareness campaign began and then we started using the platform, I find it much more convenient and the Bilum project has really helped us a lot."

As a pilot district, Nuku has seen major benefits since Bilum came into play: "Previously, we had to collect all the documents and then pack them in the boxes, carry it down to either Vanimo or Wewak or Moresby and then start getting photocopies and then binding and all these things. But with Bilum, the impact is that it now relieves us. It saves not just time but also money.”

But Bilum isn’t just about reports; it's transforming how they handle District Information Management System (DIMS) tasks. "It now gives the district information available on the platform to frame the budget. We will know exactly where to put money because the information is now available. It helps DDA (District Development Authorities) to make sound decisions."

Mr. Auwau highlighted how Bilum has revamped their budget planning and resource allocation. "This is for good governance such as delivering good services and transparent decisions so it's fairly distributed." He passionately advocates for other districts to adopt Bilum. I want other districts to ride on this one. It will help them a lot."

Bilum is more than just a platform; it’s a game-changer for enhancing governance, accountability, and transparency across districts.