RAWALPINDI, Dec 5: The District Assembly on Wednesday passed the budget for the year 2001-02 through a majority vote after holding debate for three days.

District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani had presented over Rs3 billion budget in the assembly on Friday after which the members started discussion on it.

The Naib Nazim, Raja Javed Ikhlas, winding up the discussion, clarified certain points raised by the members and requested the Assembly to pass the budget so that development work could be started.

To an objection, raised by one of the members, Mr Ikhlas said no secret fund existed and the district assembly had inherited only about Rs170 million that had been included in the budget. This was the same amount that had been placed under the head of the liabilities and would be spent on completion of ongoing schemes, he clarified.

About the Khushal Pakistan Programme (KPP), the Naib Nazim said Rs170 million had been received by the district government and another instalment of equal amount was expected by next month. About the distribution of the KPP funds, he said, the funds would be equally distributed amongst all tehsils that would then equally share it with union councils falling under its jurisdiction.

He, however, referred all the recommendations received from the members during the discussion to the Review Committee that would then forward all workable proposals to the provincial government for consideration.

Mr Ikhlas told the Assembly that the district government had sought clarification from the provincial government about the purchase of veterinary medicines. “In case, the provincial government purchases the medicines by itself, the amount allocated in the present budget under this head would be reappropriated and diverted towards development projects,” he added. The district administration had already slashed the fund for purchase of medicines for public hospitals by Rs2.5 million, which was now being transferred to the development head, he told the Assembly.

Referring to the queries raised by various members regarding the funds set aside in the budget for the salaries of the staff working at the secretariats of district Nazim and Naib Nazim, Mr Ikhlas said the allocation was for yet to be recruited staff and not the existing one. He said a request for hiring of staff for the offices of Nazim and Naib Nazim had been moved with the provincial government. “However, if no recruitment takes place, this amount will also be diverted towards development head”, the Naib Nazim said.

Regarding objections raised by the members concerning spending of entire development budget on completion of incomplete schemes, he said, these schemes as a matter of government policy could not be revoked and the issue was beyond the purview of the Assembly.

Nevertheless to ensure greater transparency in the utilization of the funds for completion of the ongoing projects, the Naib Nazim said, the works and services department had been directed to conduct a thorough survey and collect data about all ongoing schemes.

He said the funds received under Social Action Programme would be spent on provision of missing facilities at the existing public healthcare centres and educational institutions. A survey of the healthcare outlets and educational institutions in the district had already been started to identify such facilities, he added.

Earlier, taking part in the debate, most of the members focussed their discussion on the amount allocated for the ongoing schemes and allocation for members elected on special seats.