ATTOCK, Feb 21: The district council has approved the annual budget of Rs2.519 billion for year 2005-06, with Rs1.624 billion allocation for non-development and Rs894.421 million for development expenditures.

An amount of Rs1,594 million has been allocated for construction of roads and buildings, Rs35 million for Drought Emergency Relief Assistance (Dera) programme and Rs80 million for completion of ongoing development schemes.

District Nazim Maj (retired) Tahir Sadik Khan presented the budget in a special budget session here at district council hall on Tuesday. The session was presided over by convener Malik Sameen Khan.

The nazim said a major portion of the development budget would be spent on education, health, provision of electricity and water, with education sector being the top priority. As such, Rs30 million would be spent on the construction of education university, and about 100 kanals had been already allocated by the district government for the purpose.

Similarly, 300 kanals have been allocated for the construction of an information technology university in the district, while approval of Rs480 million is under consideration of the Higher Education Commission. This amount, if approved, would be spent on the construction of the university building.

The district nazim told the house that a campus of engineering university Taxila would also be set up in Attock during the current year, and that the district government had already allocated land for the purpose.

He said Rs430 million would be spent on 874 electrification schemes and Rs261.756 million on natural gas schemes under prime minister’s grant, Rs155 million on construction of roads, Rs37 million on water supply schemes and Rs20 million on construction of a trauma centre at tehsil headquarters hospital Hassanabdal. An amount of Rs14.935 million has already allocated for purchase of equipment for the hospital, he added.

The district nazim said Rs40 million had been allocated for improvement of basic health units of the district and Rs10 million for upgradation of THQ Hospital Pindigheb. Likewise, Rs20 million would be spent on upgradation of the DHQ hospital, and Rs19.270 million on upgradation of Deaf and Dumb School Attock, where Rs200 monthly stipend would be provided to every student besides provision of new buses for their transport.

With the help of the federal government, Rs20 million would be utilized for drainage schemes at Hassanabdal and Fatehjang tehsils, besides construction of a sports stadium at Fatehjang, he said.

Mr Khan said Rs147 million had been provided by the Punjab government for provision of various facilities at the district’s educational institutes.

The provincial government also provided funds to complete various roads including Khaur-Kot Malyar road, Gharibwal-Toot road, Chura Baba-Ghurghusti road, Chaki-Nulhad road, Nikka Kaln- Toot road, Gali Jagir-Chakri road, Kamrial-Dhoke Ganja road, Sabspir-Turbela road, Sanjwal-Sangjnai road, Sujandabata- Baghneelab road and Dulhain-Fatehjang road. Two other important roads namely Attock-Nawa Bhatiot road and Jand-Dingi Nari road will also be constructed, the nazim said.

Mr Khan said irrigation schemes were very important as Attock was a Barani (arid) area. He said several irrigation schemes had been completed under Dera programme, and five new dams were under construction at Jalwal, Sehwal, Tilakna, Thatti Syedan and Jabba at a cost of Rs 372 million. Besides, four more dams will be constructed at Sidryal, Nulhad, Hajishah and Taja Bara at a cost of Rs476.700 million.

Highlighting the development activities in the district during the last four years, he said the district government had spent Rs4,520 million on 4,224 projects. An amount of Rs2,340 million was spent on construction of roads, Rs800 million on provision of electricity and natural gas, Rs630 million on provision of facilities at educational institutes, Rs480 million on water supply schemes, Rs55 million on irrigation and Rs80 million on health projects, he added.

The district nazim said in future, he would focus on setting up an industrial zone in Attock to with a view to reducing poverty and unemployment, while the Government Postgraduate College would be upgraded to the university level. Besides, all the middle and primary schools would be upgraded, and electricity would be provided to all far-flung areas.

Earlier, when the session started, three members — Hazro Union Council Nazim Dr Malik Naeem Awan of PPP, Attock-II UC Nazim Rana Shuakat Ali Khan of Muttahida Mehnut Kush Muhaz and UC Burhan Nazim Rafaqut Khan of Jamaat-i-Islami — raised objection that they were not provided the budget copies accordingly by the district assembly secretary beforehand, therefore they could not examine the details.

As a protest, Dr Malik Naeem Awan walked out of the council hall and did not return till the end of the session.

On the occasion, many members of the district council, including Turrab UC Nazim Malik Ihtabar and UC Golra Nazim Malik Iftikhar, made suggestions for the uplift of their areas and appreciated the budget.