DADU, July 14: The Dadu District Council approved its budget of Rs2241.949 million for 2004-2005 at a session held on Wednesday. Presenting the budget, District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar said salaries of employees had been increased by 15 per cent.

He said Rs2.5 million each would be provided to union council nazims and Rs300,000 each to woman councillors, those elected on reserved seats and minority members for carrying out development schemes in their respective areas. He said a union council nazim could propose development schemes worth Rs1.3 million and he could directly utilize Rs1.2 in his council.

The nazim said Rs1586.251 million would be spent on salaries of employees and Rs280.5 million had been allocated for non-salary expenditures of district government departments.

He said allocation for development programmes had been increased by 25 per cent as compared to previous year. He said a huge share of the fund had been fixed for 86 ongoing schemes.

He disclosed that a beautification plan had been prepared for Dadu, which included shifting of the old vegetable market and construction of a new bus terminal and three town entrance gates.

Mr Sikandar said 13 schemes of water supply, 26 of roads, 10 of education, five of health, one of a maternity home and 28 other schemes would be completed at a cost of Rs310 million.

He said the Citizen's Community Board would get Rs17 million. The nazim said he had announced in the previous year budget Rs1.5 million each from his special funds for union councils for undertaking development schemes but the Sindh finance department had not released the amount.

He said he had recorded his protest against finance department officials on the issue. The council members passed the budget unanimously. Earlier, council members Ali Mohammad Soomro and Abid Lakhair criticized the finance department for not releasing funds announced for union council nazims.

TALUKA BUDGET: Mirpurkhas Taluka Nazim Syed Inayat Ali Shah presented the taluka council budget for the fiscal 2004-05 here on Tuesday. According to the budget estimates, the taluka's income will be Rs131.145 million while Rs130.586 million will be its expenses.

Some members of the council tried to create disturbance when the taluka nazim started his budget speech. They also torn budget copies. On this occasion, the taluka nazim said the members should not discuss controversial and political issues at the budget session.

The taluka nazim told the council that no special grant had been received for development schemes which might cause delay in completion of the works. He said Rs500,000 had been allocated for women's welfare, Rs5.5 million for the citizens' community board, Rs400,000 for development works on recommendation of council members, Rs300,000 for minority welfare and Rs300,000 for labour welfare.

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