HYDERABAD, July 3: The Hyderabad District Council on Thursday approved the 2003-2004 budget of the district after readjusting allocations for 27 different heads of non-development expenditure.

The council, following six days of discussion, withdrew discretionary and secret funds of Rs10 million of the DCO, except for Rs1 million. It adjusted discretionary and secret funds of the district Nazim under the heads of special grants and emergency. These funds would be used with the approval of the district council.

Development funds of Rs135 million allocated for new schemes were not increased on the plea that expenditures of salary and allowances could not be curtailed and shifted to the development head. The members had sought a reduction in non-development expenditure which was increased from last year’s Rs2 billion to Rs3.09 billion.

However, none of the members presented a motion to cut amount from non-development expenditure as the district Nazim, his close associates and those members who had exposed flaws in the budget reportedly reached at an understanding.

Despite proposals by some members, no funds were allocated for lining of watercourses in the district.

Convener Nawab Rashid Ali Khan said the district Nazim would utilize Rs10 million as special grants and emergency funds. Allocations for entertainment of council members had been increased to Rs600,000 from Rs100,000 and Rs4 million would be utilized on education-related visits, seminars and orientation programmes for members. Funds had also been allocated for travelling allowance, renovation of a conference room, purchase of library items and recreation of council members, he added.

In the education head, funds for POL charges, repair of vehicles, equipment and furniture, telegraph and telephone charges, stationery and printing were reduced.

In the health sector, the district government allocated Rs1 million for anti-malaria spray programme from its own funds. An amount of Rs7.2 million was earmarked for preventive drugs.

For the first time, Rs6.4 million and Rs1.1 million were earmarked for the Darul Aman and the Darul Atfal respectively. These amounts would be distributed among deserving people through the EDO, community development. The EDO, law, will get Rs100,000 for purchase of newspapers, periodicals and books.

District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman announced a grant of Rs500,000 for the Hyderabad Press Club and Rs25,000 each for press clubs of talukas.

Before approving the budget, the district council adopted two budget-related resolutions.

Mohammad Yousaf Qureshi demanded equal distribution of funds among union councils from joint pool of the district government’s resources as per section 32 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

Sumera Akhlaq in her resolution demanded that funds allocated to women in the district’s 2002-2003 budget should be maintained and Rs9.4 million should be fixed for women’s welfare schemes.