HYDERABAD, June 28: While continuing the debate on the district government budget 2003-4 for fourth consecutive day on Friday, the district council members criticized disproportionate allocations under different heads.

They were particularly skeptical about the allocation of a huge amount for education sector.

Mohammad Yousuf Qureshi said that there was no provision for distribution of textbooks among primary school students, he said and added that details were not disclosed how Rs1.8 million would be spent on special schools.

He said that while Rs3.039 billion were earmarked for non-development expenditure, allocation for development activities was Rs620.575 million, 15 per cent of the budget.

Blaming the finance department officials of not offering any relief to the people, he deplored that not a single scheme of hand-pump was given for rural areas where people faced the drinking water problem.

Mr Qureshi said that the finance department had made disproportionate allocations for different purposes. He asked when highways were not under the control of the district government, why funds were shown for them.

Amidst slogans of shame, he said that it was simply ridiculous that Rs1.3 million were earmarked under petroleum, oil and lubricants charges of the education works department despite the fact that last year, the amount was just Rs38,000. He added that transport charges under the same head shot to Rs340,000 in new budget against Rs40,000 of last year’s budget.

Likewise, he said, funds were allocated for machinery for the law department though it had got nothing to do with any sort of machinery.

He observed that out of Rs410 million allocation for health sector, only Rs100 million was earmarked for medicines whereas allocation for travelling allowance of the district health officer was Rs7.4 million.

Mr Qureshi said that the demands from government departments were a vital part of the budget but it was not mentioned whether the demands were called from departments or not. He added that while expenditures of different establishments were widely covered not a single development scheme was taken from any council member.

He saw the allocation of discretionary funds of the district Nazim, his deputy and the DCO as an attempt to pit the district council members against them and said that discretionary funds should be used for payment of honourarium to members.

Referring to the controversy over Rs151 million annual development funds 2002-03, he said that the schemes of previous year were not included in the on-going schemes and demanded construction of a mini stadium in Bagh-e-Mustafa ground, Latifabad.

He suggested that budget and finance committees should be constituted to oversee expenditures of budget estimates throughout the year.

Mir Suleman Talpur opposed the allocation of discretionary and transition funds and criticized the allocation for daily entertainment charges of the district Nazim’s office.

He said that it was not mentioned in the budget document how budget deficit would be met and complained that union councils were not given their due share.

Rana Mehmood Ali Khan said that no grand scheme was offered in the budget. He demanded establishment of a recreational spot in Khisana Mori and a library at Holmstead Hall.

On a point of order, Mir Ghulamullah Talpur demanded removal of Tando Mohammad Khan Taluka police officer Ali Sher Jakhrani in the wake of killing of a landowner, Noman Talpur, in an encounter between the police and bandits.

The session was adjourned till Tuesday.