HYDERABAD, June 30 The Hyderabad district council here on Tuesday approved Rs5.310 billion budget of the district government.

It called upon the Sindh government to early release Rs649 million committed by President Zardari to help the district government complete its ongoing development works before its term was over.

The council's finance committee chairman Q. Mohammad Hakim presented his report, asking the session to approve budgetary estimates after some hard-hitting speeches by PPP-backed Awam Dost Panel (ADP) members Mehboob Abro, Abbas Khan and Zahida Memon, and Al-Khidmat group's Hussain Bux Hussaini criticising the district government on some issues.

Leaving Dr Arif Razmi, Munawar Zai and Mr Hakim, who made to the point speeches to reject opponents' criticism, other Haq Parast Group members remained confined to praising the budget and focused on health sector allocations, indicating that they had not studied the budget in detail to defend the district government.

Even Nasir Baloch, an ally of the Haq Parast Group, described budgetary estimates as deficit because expected receipt of Rs649 million was not likely to be released given previous such cuts made in two previous years. He, however, said that from the welfare point of view it was an ideal budget.

“I don't hope to see Rs649 being transferred to district government's account. So, for all practical purposes, it remains deficit,” he said.

His point that funds should have been allocated for a ventilator-fitted ambulance was dismissed by Dr Razmi when he advised the member to see allocations of Rs54 million for purchase of equipment from health budget.

Hussain Bux Hussaini once again complained that his union council had been neglected and his area was still getting polluted water as the district government had failed to replace water supply lines.

He said Nazeer Hussain Memorial Hospital was still working as an OPD (outpatient department) facility and it closed at 2pm, adding that there was no proposed investment for fire tenders.

He said the budget allocations must be utilised under the required head and should not be re-appropriated in different names. “Rs18.4 million have been allocated for repair of old deputy commissioner's house, but Rs2 million were not given to 10 UCs,” he said.

Munawar Khan Zai said the district government spent Rs1.5 billion on filter plants and water supply lines while Nazeer Hussain Memorial Hospital had equipment which even private hospitals did not have. He said that in its first year, the district government focussed sewerage and drainage sectors.

Speeches by Baloch and Hussaini took a lot of flak from Mohammad Ali Gohar who claimed that budget preparation was a tricky job and it often involved political and other complications.

He appreciated Kanwar Naveed Jamil for reflecting his vision in the health sector and urged the house to avoid criticism for the sake of criticism.

Earlier, Zahida Memon had refused to make a speech but later rose to contest remarks of HPG's members, saying that budget was never properly utilised and women's sector was a proof of it where no allocations had been made in the last three and half years.

She referred to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park (Rani Bagh) which was again facing destruction despite expenditure of Rs150 million. She said the trauma centre remained incomplete, that was being built in a congested area where patient would die before reaching.

A councillor from rural taluka, Jamila Khatoon, said schemes of millions of rupees were designed, but she was not able to do anything for her voters. “At times I think that I should jump in Channel Mori (lined channel),” she said as some members were seen laughing during her speech.

ADP's Mehboob Abro extold the district nazim for a balanced budget, but reminded the chair that a reconciliatory approach remained missing in Hyderabad. “When Asif Zardari and Altaf Hussain can work closely why don't Kanwar Naveed Jamil and we?,” he asked.

“Today city's conditions have deteriorated instead of showing improvement. Even Muttaheda (MQM) workers admit it in personal conversations,” he said.

He said women with 33 per cent representation got no allocations, adding that despite expenditure of billions of rupees on schemes, they did not take a better shape.

Wrapping up discussion, Dr Razmi said the SNE issue of Nazeer Hussain Memorial School lies with the Sindh government which was the approving authority while the district government had done its part of work.

He said everyone would welcome healthy criticism.

The member said that if the district government decided to replace all water supply lines in streets and localities, more than the existing budget would be required. But he vowed to accomplish the task if opportunity was given to HPG.

He said a road from Hussainabad to Hero chowk was part of the ADP and the member concerned had not studied it.

He urged the provincial government to release district government funds that were cut in the last two fiscal years and expressed the hope that the president would ensure his committed 10 per cent funds of Rs320 million.

“If these funds are not released, works will remain incomplete. Why alone Hyderabad and Karachis district governments funds are cut? Why this punishment?,” he asked.

Seeking approval of budgetary estimates, Mr Hakim disagreed with Mr Baloch who said Rs649 million was a deficit.

He said everyone knew that budgets were always based on estimated receipts and expenditures, adding that even single line transfer (SLT) by the Sindh government had always been tentative. The member perhaps had overlooked provision of ventilator-fitted ambulance and snorkel that was covered under purchase of equipment, he said.

“The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is not under district government's authority,” he said while arguing that the works executed in Wasa sector were from allocations of the Hyderabad Development Package and Governor's Package, but technically those funds could not be made part of district's budget.

He said Rs649 million were committed at the highest-level and called for their early release.

He demanded that Hyderabads share of SLT should be raised by 20 per cent because it catered to other needs of neighbouring district's population in various sectors.