KARACHI, June 30: The City Nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, said on Friday that the overall size of the city government budget had jumped to Rs68.994 billion with a total development outlay of Rs47.334 billion after allocations were made for the two development authorities – Malir and Lyari development authorities.
The nazim was addressing a post-budget press conference at the committee room of the defunct KMC’s head office building on Friday.
The City Naib Nazim, Nasreen Jalil, DCO Fazal-ur-Rehman, EDO (Finance) Roshan Ali Shaikh, City Council’s Finance and Information committees’ chairmen, Ms Itrat and Masood Mehmood, were also present.
Terming the amount earmarked for undertaking development projects in the city the `biggest-ever’ in its history, he said that citizens would see development activities on a massive scale, as foreign investors would be spending another huge amount of over Rs55 billion on various mega projects.
“And, if we add up Rs55 billion to the development funds earmarked by the city government, the MDA and the LDA, the overall amount to be spent on development projects will further swell to Rs102.334 billion,” he said.
He added that with the completion of various projects to be undertaken in different sectors during the next financial year, citizens would themselves observe a better change in their quality of life, besides enjoying the fruits of development projects.
Drawing a parallel between the city government’s current (2005-06) and next fiscal (2006-07) budgets, Mr Kamal said though the size of the 2005-06 budget stood at Rs43.820 billion, the amount was slashed to Rs40.260 billion after revision, which meant that the size of the fiscal 2006-07 year was higher by around Rs28 billion.
Highlighting the salient features of the budget, Mr Kamal said that the 2006-07 budget, which was surplus by Rs121.403million, was a totally development-cum-welfare-oriented budget. Besides, no new tax was levied on citizens, he said.
KUNDIMEN: Announcing cent per cent raise in the salaries of kundimen i e from Rs5,000 to 10,000, the nazim remarked: “Isn’t it an irony that kundimen who clean sewerage lines are paid a meagre salary of Rs5,000.”
He said another Rs5m had been earmarked in the budget for the welfare of the families of those kundimen who die during the course of their job.Explaining the concept of introducing community policing system in the city, he said that only those residing in the jurisdiction of the town concerned would be given jobs in the setup, for which an initial amount of Rs20 million had been allocated.EDUCATION: Mr Kamal said that, keeping in view the importance of education, the city government had allocated 23 per cent of the total volume of the budget, which came to Rs10 billion for the sector.
CADET COLLEGE: The city government will established the city’s first cadet college in Gadap at a cost of Rs320.60m and six other colleges in various city areas, for which Rs250m had been allocated. Besides, Rs400m had been set aside for 36 new model schools, two in each town.
Referring to the city government’s plan of constructing the city’s tallest building named ‘IT Tower’, Mr Kamal said that, with the construction of the building, not only will information technology flourish but around 35,000 people will get jobs too.
WATER/SEWERAGE: The nazim said that citizens had already started getting additional 100mgd water with the commissioning of the K-III project while feasibility of the K-IV project was under way, to get another 100mgd water.
As far as water and road projects in all 178 union councils of the city are concerned, each UC was being given Rs9.5m.
A master plan for the city’s sewerage system was being prepared whereas the textile city will be provided 28mgd water, he said.
HEALTH: Mr Kamal said that Rs3.37m had been allocated for the health sector in next year’s budget, which was eight per cent of the budget’s total.
The projects to be undertaken during 2006-07 include setting up cardiac departments in Orangi’s Qatar Hospital, Liaquatabad No 10 hospital, Korangi-5, PIB Colony Maternity Home, Liaquatabad, Old Thano, Malir, Gadap and Shah Faisal Colony hospitals; expansion of health facilities in Rehri, Gadap City, Metroville, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Sector 14-A, Baldia Metroville-II, Landhi/Korangi, Usman Goth, Bin Qasim, Ibrahim Hyderi/Lassi Goth, Shershah, Keamari, Hashim Goth, Mondal Goth, Azam Basti, Saeedabad, Baldia Town; and provision of additional 100 beds in New Karachi hospital.
GOTHS: The city nazim said that the city’s goths would be turned into model villages for which a ‘Goth Infrastructure Development Fund’ had been set up.
He said the city’s leprosy hospital and homeopathic hospitals would also be upgraded.
TRANSPORT: The nazim said Rs500m had been allocated for introducing 650 jumbo-size buses in the city in 2006-07 and shortly afterwards, 481 old buses would be removed, he said, adding that the Karachi Circular Railway would also be restored.
INDUSTRIAL ZONES: The city government has started rehabilitating infrastructure of all four industrial zones of the city by initiating roads and streets’ construction work and laying water and sewerage lines at an estimated cost of Rs4.5b, Mr Kamal said.
CITY LIBRARY: About a central library, he said it would be set up in North Nazimabad Town at an estimated cost of Rs100m. Funds for the project would be provided by the Sindh government under the ADP, he said.
