17 July 2004	Saturday	28 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

PESHAWAR, July 16: The nazim of the Peshawar Town Council-I on Friday presented a tax-free surplus budget for the fiscal year 2004-05, envisaging an estimated revenue of over Rs260.3 million and expenditure of over Rs259.4 million.

While presenting the budget in council Nazim Haroon Bilour said the town would receive Rs72 million from octroi, Rs25 million as support from the district government, Rs4.3 million as aid from the provincial government for development works, over Rs80.8 million from the town council's own resources, Rs48 million from UIP tax, Rs20 million as deduction from the UIP tax of the district government, Rs8.6 million miscellaneous and Rs1.65 million from cash balance.

Mr Bilour said the budget was 31 per cent more than the council's first budget presented for 2001-02. He said slightly more than Rs43 million would be spent on the water supply scheme. He said sodium lights would be installed on the Ring Road.

For vaccination and salaries of Health Department staff, more than Rs3.9 million had been allocated. Mr Bilour said that sanitary staff would be recruited with the help of the provincial government.

He said the provincial government had received 35 garbage disposal vehicles. He said Rs80 million had been reserved for sanitation and sewerage. He asked the provincial government to give an annual grant of Rs300m like other provinces for health and sanitation.

He said that the town council would make efforts for preservation of historical sites like Chowk Yadgar, Shahi Bagh, and Wazir Bagh. These places would be developed which would generate revenue for the council.

He said recreational places and gardens would be developed in various areas with the help of the private sector. He complained that various income generating-sectors of the Town Council were being controlled by the district government.