The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform indicated that it had requested an additional budget of R4.4 billion for the 2009/10 budget adjustment to fund rural development, new offices of the Ministry as well as the Restitution and Deeds Trading Entity. Due to the bad economic conditions, the Department revised its request downward to R1.7 billion. An additional budget of R292 million was allocated to rural development, R9 million to the Ministry and R31 million for general salary adjustments. Of the R3.5 billion requested for the Restitution programme, only an additional budget of R1.1 billion was granted. The Department indicated that it might be difficult to meet the objectives of rural development due to budget constraints. Shifting of funds will need to be made to finance the restitution programme.