HYDERABAD, June 27: District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil on Tuesday presented budget with an outlay of Rs2,397.963 million against projected expenditure of Rs2,397.962 million.

An amount of Rs386.473 million has been allocated for the annual development programme and Rs40 million for the district development programme.

An increase of Rs23.2 million has been recorded in non-salary expenses as compared to the last year.

It is Rs1,000 symbolic surplus budget.

The Sindh government had allocated Rs2,150 million one-line budget to the district whose other receipts included salary component, octroi zila tax (OZT) share, property betterment tax and sugarcane cess.

An amount of Rs153.121 million, is diverted to salary of district government’s group of offices almost an equal amount of Rs240million is allocated to non-salary expenses, totalling Rs1,771.214 million.

The OZT is estimated at Rs66.986 million bringing overall tentative receipts to Rs2,005.290 million.

Other receipts are betterment tax of Rs6 million and sugarcane cess of Rs200,000.

Estimated expenditure of Rs2,397.962 million is divided into property tax of Rs15.210 million, Sindh Devolved Social Services Programme (SDSSP) of Rs5.302 million, Khushhal Pakistan Programme (KPP) of Rs5.5 million, education sector reforms (ESR) of Rs6.666 million, National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses (NPIW) of Rs3.981 million, OZT Rs31.926 million, sugar cess Rs1.684 million, citizen community boards (CCBs) Rs7.773 million, scholarships Rs9.291 million, school management committee.

The OZT share is to be utilised for salaries of defunct district council and for nine rural UCs.

Revised estimates of budget 2005-06 are Rs2,131.789 million against estimated budget of Rs2,325.684 million.

The budget envisaged 40 new schemes of physical planning and housing (HDA), rural development, education, government offices, health and CCB which requires Rs115.942 million whereas ADP’s other component of 89 on-going schemes in same sectors needs Rs270.531 million for completion.

New schemes included laying of sewerage and water supply line at a cost of Rs10 million, utilisation of funds of Rs60 million of roads and streets in Qasimabad and Hyderabad (rural) taluka and Rs15 million for construction of shelter-less schools, mostly in the rural taluka.

Other schemes are: installation of water purification plants in various UCs at a cost of Rs2 million and construction of office of taluka municipal administration Qasimabad at a cost of Rs5 million.

A similar amount is earmarked for repair of offices of UC whereas Rs50 million will be spent on upgradation of basic health units and hospitals.

District government’s total savings of 2005-06 are Rs167.090 million as on June 17, which included savings of the provincial ADP, sugar cess, property tax and NPIW.

In addition to the ADP of Rs386.473 million, a DDP is primarily based on savings from outgoing fiscal year for that reason the district government estimated expenditures of various heads are on much higher side than estimated receipts.

The break-up of 40 new schemes, to be carried out at a cost of Rs115.942 million, shows that one each scheme pertained to physical planning and CCB, 19 for rural development, 11 of education, four each for government offices and health.

Out of Rs386.473 million for ADP 2006-07, Rs16.69 and Rs369.814 million would be spent on revenue and capital side, respectively. The HDA which is still a provincial subject, because of its non-devolution, received Rs3 million in the budget.

There has been an increase of Rs23.2 million in non- salary expenses which has taken total expenses to Rs240 million against last year’s Rs216.783 million.

The district nazim said that there were allocations under various heads that had been made for the first time in district government’s budget.

Its break-up shows Rs16 million for improvement of rural health centres, showing an increase of Rs9.1 million, Rs5 million for provision of hand-pumps in rural areas and Rs1 million each for cash prizes for students, best performance for creating culture of competition among government employees and scholarships.

About Rs5 million has been allocated for natural calamities, terrorism, rains, floods, earthquake against last year’s Rs2 million, with an increase of Rs400,000.

An amount of Rs2.5 million is allocated for needy and destitute people, Rs2 million for cases of gastroenteritis, typhoid, hepatitis, Rs9 million for repair of government schools and Rs6 million for provision of equipment and chemicals for school’s laboratories.

A sum of Rs2 million has been allocated for setting up computer laboratories in high schools, Rs3.5 million for the welfare of people with disabilities and orphans.

About Rs2.5 million has been earmarked for promotion of sports and culture, Rs1 million each for poets, artistes and information technology, Rs1.3 million for national days of different communities and Rs1 million for training, study tours of district council members.

An amount of Rs1 million has been allocated for computerisation of district government’s offices to facilitate people.

Having an increase of Rs1 million reserved seats councillors have been allocated Rs6 million for welfare schemes.

The district council secretariat has been given Rs28.9 million against last year’s RsRs17.488 million, showing an increase of Rs2.6 million.

An amount of Rs15 million has been allocated for a mortuary.

The construction of the mortuary will be completed in 2008.

The budget envisaged Rs1.8 million for setting up of a special centre for women in distress.

The rural areas will get Rs50 million for development under SDSSP and NPIW programmes to cater to problems faced by rural people.

According to the district nazim, overall budget of education department stood at Rs1,336 million, health sector would get Rs311.416 million, social sector would have allocation of Rs52.708 million.

Though no separate allocation has been indicated in budget for UCs but they would be given development through diversion of funds under different heads.

The session began one hour late.

After presentation of budget convenor Zafar Ali Rajput referred the budget to council’s finance committee to be presented for debate in the session which has been adjourned for Wednesday.