HARIPUR: Nazim of Haripur district Akhtar Nawaz Khan on Friday presented Rs7.135 billion budget for the financial year 2019-20 in the district council.

The council met here with its convener, Agha Shabbir Ahmad Awan, in the chair.

The nazim said of the total outlay, Rs5.98 billion was meant for the salaries of 13,695 employees of devolved departments.

Nazim says expenses curtailed to ensure people’s uplift

He said Rs674 million had been doled out for the operating expenses of departments, while Rs448 million had been allocated for the district’s annual development programme.

The nazim said the budget had Rs165 million for ongoing schemes, Rs95.8 million for district secretariat, Rs23 million for the installation of solar panels in mosques, Rs26.4 million for the repair and maintenance of basic health units, Rs40 million for the purchase of emergency medicines for government hospitals and BHUs, Rs69 million for the maintenance of government schools, Rs20 million for supporting the families of the officials, who died during service and Rs220 million for the leave encashment of retiring officials.

He also presented the revised Rs530 million non-developmental budget and Rs5.626 billion salary budget of the last fiscal for approval.

The nazim claimed that the budget was made in line with the PTI’s vision of curtailing unnecessary expenditure and spending that amount on the people’s development.

The council offered fateha for 22 people, who died in the Tarbela lake boat capsizing incident, and condoled with their families.

The convener later adjourned the session until Monday for debate on budget and its approval.

TAX-FREE BUDGET: The Rs250 million tax-free budget of Kundar Hassainzai tehsil of Torghar district was announced here on Friday.

Announcing the budget in the tehsil council, nazim Shahzad Shah said Rs23 million had been allocated for the payment of salary to officials in tehsil, while the rest of the budgetary amount would be spent on development projects.

He said the tehsil government had received its outstanding share in the provincial finance commission award from the government and it would spend the amount on development schemes proposed by councillors.

The nazim said the house would approve the budget next week after debate on it by its members.

BUDGET PASSED: The Kohat district council unanimously passed the Rs6.12 billion budget on Friday.

The Darra Adamkhel tehsil created after Fata’s merger with KP got Rs700.22 million in the budget.

The house also approved the revised budget for financial year 2018-19.

The nazim asked councillors for proposing schemes without delay for approval.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2019