KARACHI, June 16: A Rs410 million balanced budged for the fiscal 2004-05 of Orangi Town Municipal Administration was announced here on Wednesday.

Presenting the budget in the Town's Council, Orangi Town's Nazim, Sheikh Mohammad Feroz, said that the Town's next financial year's estimated receipts come to Rs 410m while its expenditure is also the same.

The budget documents show that 18.73 per cent (Rs 76.80m) of the Town's total budget will be spent under the head of establishment, 12.73pc (Rs52.18m) have been allocated for contingencies and 4.64pc (Rs19m) for maintenance.

Highlighting the salient features of Orangi Town's next fiscal year's budget, the Nazim told newsmen that a huge amount of Rs 262.02m which comes to 63.90 per cent of the budget have been earmarked for undertaking development works in the Town.

Elaborating, he said that development works include carpeting of roads and streets, installation of street-lights, development of parks and playgrounds. About the upliftment plans, he said that Rs 110.50m will be incurred on undertaking development works in its 13 union councils; Rs6.50m will be spent on the improvement of street lights; Rs 6.50m for bringing improvements in parks and playgrounds and Rs 15m will be incurred on the purchase of vehicles, machinery, etc.

Giving details of the Town's total receipts, he said that the Town will get Rs 200m under the head of OZT share from Sindh government; Rs20m as its share from betterment and property tax; Rs 10m conservancy charges; Rs 1m as rural and octroi share from Sindh/City government; Rs9m from its own resources and Rs170m as a special grant from Sindh government.

At the outset, he said that he would strive to get more funds for the development of Orangi from both the City and Sindh governments.