HYDERABAD, July 21: The finance and planning section of the district government has finalised the district government budget which will be presented in the district council on July 26.

It has tried to overcome a deficit of around Rs1 billion by adjusting Rs82 million funds of the Annual Development Programme, Rs306 million share under the National Finance Commission award and reducing the salary component.

This was showed by some details of the budget proposals obtained by this correspondent on Wednesday, according to which total volume of the budget is around Rs4 billion.

The district urban development programme is subject to the release of lapsed ADP funds of Rs82 million, meaning that if the funds are not released, development works will be in jeopardy.

The Sindh government has allocated Rs3.16 billion for the budget, showing a deficit of over Rs1 billion. The finance and planning section has estimated salaries of employees on their actual working strength and not against the sanctioned strength, thus enabling the district government to curtail salary expenditures.

Revenue receipts are expected at Rs34.4 million, besides Rs773 of the Octroi and Zila Tax share. An amount of Rs40 million is also lying under non-salary head of last year, an official claimed. The balance for the year 2004-05 was Rs310 million at the close of financial year 2003-04.

The non-development expenditure stands at Rs3044 million against last year's Rs3020 million. The development budget stands at Rs537.500 million besides allocation of Rs100 million for development works in union councils.

An amount of Rs10 million is to be spent under sugar cess for development schemes in the sugarcane growing areas, mostly pertaining to roads. The volume of allocation for salaries has increased after 15 per cent raise in salaries, which comes to Rs300 million.

Seven schemes including five on-going and two new ones costing Rs119 million have been included in district budget whereas allocation against the schemes is Rs111 million. The budget also includes Rs70 million released by the Sindh government to the Water and Sanitation Agency for improving its water supply system, though the district government does not have control over the HDA and Wasa.

Similarly an allocation of Rs111 million has been made for the HDA's five ongoing and two new schemes of physical planning. Thirty eight ongoing road schemes in rural area will cost Rs4.2 million against 12 ongoing road schemes in urban areas with an allocation of Rs62 million and four new road schemes Rs37 million.

An amount of Rs64 million has been allocated for shelterless schools in rural areas against estimated cost of Rs338 million whereas Rs21 million have been allocated for education sector of urban areas.