HYDERABAD, Sept 2: Latifabad Taluka Nazim Abdul Jabbar Khan here on Tuesday presented a deficit budget of Rs13.49 million for the fiscal year 2003-2004 before the council that was unanimously approved by the session.

The estimated income of the Taluka Municipal Administration (TMA), Latifabad, is Rs160.32 million against an overall expenditure of Rs173.82 million.

Out of a total of Rs160.32 million in the income head, Rs13.60 million are lying in the account of the council under the head of betterment tax.

The major share of the income of the TMA, Latifabad, is to be received from its octroi share given by the federal government through the Sindh government. For 2003-2004, this income is expected to be Rs81.60 million.

The budget document also included revised estimates of Rs80.63 million in the head of income against an expenditure of Rs73.55 million for 2002-03.

The salary expenditure of the staff is estimated to be Rs103.34 million, which is 102.8 per cent of the total income.

Out of Rs14.82 million, an amount of Rs8.82 million annually would be utilized for the salaries of 170 new vacancies created for difference scales under the new non-development expenditure, Rs2.4 million would be spent on the purchase of six tractors and trolleys, blades, tanks, vehicles, including motorcycles for officers and sub-engineers, and other items.

An amount of Rs45.07 million was allocated for contingency/miscellaneous expenditures, whereas total development expenditure is Rs18.50 million, which included purchase of computers and furniture, establishment of a telephone exchange, construction work in katchi abadi/nullahs/gutter/roads, purchase of fire-fighting equipments, promotion of sports, etc.

An amount of Rs23 million would be spent on construction and repair and restoration of drainage and sewerage system in Latifabad Taluka.

The Taluka Nazim said in the first phase those development works would be carried out which needed immediate attention for which Rs23 million had been earmarked. He said that allocations had also been made for the repair and maintenance of garbage vans and vehicles.

He added that total liabilities of the TMA, Latifabad, are estimated at Rs12 million as like others TMAs, the TMA, Latifabad, also inherited these liabilities from the defunct Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, and added that these liabilities pertained to Hesco, information, civil works, Sui Gas, Wasa, uniforms, etc.

The TMA, Latifabad, is bound to recover outstanding dues of Rs10.34 million which related to sewerage tax, nursery, sanitation tax, foot sign boards, advertisement/sign boards and rent.

He proposed that the share of each TMA of the city under the octroi tax should be given on the basis of the number of union councils in each Taluka, population and length of the area directly in the accounts of the TMA.

He said that this formula was based on “justice and equity” and apart from this formula any other proposal would lead to financial hurdles for the TMA.

He said that if the government did not cooperate in this regard then it would create hurdles in the smooth running of the present system.