BAHAWALPUR, July 30: District Nazim Tariq Cheema at a session on Tuesday presented Rs1.768 billion budget for 2002-03.

Later, at a post-budget press conference, he explained the salient features of the budget and claimed it to be a balanced one.

He said the budget included the award of provincial finance commission of Rs204.93 billion, claiming the award was inadequate to meet the development projects in the district.

He said the government had allocated a sum of Rs257 million for some development projects, Rs381 million to fill 15,758 vacant posts in the different departments. He said teachers showing good performance would be rewarded while a sum of Rs2.6 million had been earmarked for giving scholarships to the deserving students.

Mr Cheema said only a nominal tax would be proposed annually on each of the student studying in all the primary and secondary schools.

Meanwhile, he announced the government would abolish the entry fee to Bahawalpur stadium to promote sports activities. He said all the tehsil headquarters hospitals in the district would be upgraded to provide maximum medical care to the rural population.