CHITRAL: A deficit budget of Rs46 million was presented in tehsil council Chitral on Tuesday which was later approved unanimously in the same sitting chaired by convener Khan Hayatullah Khan.

Presenting the budget, tehsil nazim Maulana Mohammad Ilyas said the expected income of tehsil municipal administration was Rs156 million against the projected expenditure of Rs203 million.

In his budget speech, the tehsil nazim said the devastating flash floods of the last year had left the infrastructure of roads, water supply and irrigation damaged heavily due to which whole of the budget was diverted to rehabilitation of the battered infrastructures.

He said situation was still grim as the magnitude of loss was colossal and the resources available with the council were meager which led to the deficit in the budget.

He urged the house members to come forward with practicable and viable proposals to augment and supplement the resources of the council, which also included levying of local taxes.

Mr Ilyas said the flood-hit people were still waiting for the rehabilitation of their basic infrastructures of water supply and irrigation as shortage of irrigation water had inflicted heavy losses on them.

Giving the break-up of development expenditures, he said 25 per cent of the budget would be spent on water supply schemes, 20 per cent on municipal services and five per cent on beautification of the city. He said 50 per cent funds were available with the council, which would be allocated to members.

The non-development expenses included Rs50 million on salaries, Rs9.40 million on charge expenditures and Rs18 million on contingency.

The members who participated in the debate on the budget included Abdul Haq, Haji Mohammad Sultan, Shamsher Khan, Khosh Mohammad Khan, Farida Sultana, Najma Bibi, and minority member Nazargai Kalash.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2016