27 October 2004	Wednesday	12 Ramazan 1425

HYDERABAD, Oct 26: The issue of non-release of funds for welfare schemes proposed by women councillors continued to dominate proceedings of the district council for the second day here on Tuesday.

As soon as the session began, Firdous Abro and Rana Siddiqui said they would continue their protest against the non-release of the funds and added that the DCO should inform the council when the funds would be released to the woman councillors.

Raising slogans, the woman members staged a sit-in in front of the main entrance of the council's hall.

Later, council members persuaded them to attend the session and they agreed on the condition that if the EDO, finance, Sikandar Shah, failed to give a convincing reason for the non-release of the funds, other members would also boycott the session.

The EDO referred to objections raised by the assistant director, local fund audit, in respect of direct purchase of bicycles, hand pumps and sewing machines from the manufacturer. He said the manufacturer was not ready to give bicycles and machines without advance payment on account of his previous outstanding dues against some government departments.

He said all other formalities had been completed but for this legal hitch of the Contract Rules, the welfare schemes could not be matured. The audit official had said without inviting tenders, such items could not be directly purchased by the district government, he added.

He informed the members that now gallop tenders had been given for bicycles and sewing machines which would be opened on Nov 11. He said it would take another two months to deliver these items.

Yousuf Qureshi and Q. Hakim pointed out that this objection had been done away with through a resolution by the council but the matter had been unnecessarily delayed. They further said when there was only one manufacturer there was no need to invite tenders.

Convener Nawab Rashid Ali Khan asked the EDO to ensure that bicycles, hand-pumps and sewing machines were delivered on payment in instalments.

Referring to a statement of the federal local bodies minister holding LB representatives responsible for failure in checking increase in prices of vegetables, fruits and edibles, he said it was the responsibility of DDOs, DCOs and price control committees to check prices and the LB representatives were not concerned with it.

Praising Hyderabad Civil Hospital medical superintendent Dr Hadi Bux Jatoi for his efforts to improve conditions in the hospital and ensure availability of medicines to poor patients, the convener presented a shield to him on behalf of the district council.