KARACHI: Rs646.146m budget for Lyari Town announced
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 27: A balanced budget of Rs464.146 million for the fiscal 2005-6 of Lyari Town was presented at a session of the town’s council by Town Nazim Abdul Khalique Juma here on Monday. The session was presided over by Naib Nazim Malik Mohammad Khan Awan. An amount of Rs100.43 million has been earmarked for development projects. The amount includes Rs40 million to be paid against the work carried out during the previous financial year.
An allocation of Rs2 million has been made for health and cleanliness, Rs58 million for parks, sports and recreation, Rs29.5 million for roads and buildings, Rs7.9 million for lights and electrification and Rs170.9 million for salaries and administrative expenses.
The nazim said that major source of income would be receipts from the provincial and city governments as the town’s own revenue base was very limited. However, he anticipated the town would manage to generate revenues up to Rs2.85 million from its own sources.
He also expected Rs353.7 million from octroi and Rs103.9 million through property and other taxes.
The nazim told the house that during 2004-5, the town did not receive grants from the provincial and city governments in full while its own funds had fully been consumed in disbursing salaries and meeting fuel expenses.
He recalled that both the provincial and city governments had been apprised of the town’s weak financial condition and the issue had also been taken up with the top executives of the governments. As a result of these efforts, he added, the authorities were convinced to provide funds according to a sharing formula which, he hoped, would be implemented in the next fiscal year.
Mr Juma said that the decision to levy a tax on property lease transfer would help improve the town’s financial condition.
Regarding water shortage, he said the problem could not be resolved because the authorities concerned appeared non-cooperative, but efforts were being made to mitigate Lyariites’ sufferings in this regard.
The nazim pointed out that the government had announced a 25 per cent raise in employees’ salaries due to which an estimated Rs21.27 million more would have to be paid by the town under this head.
He said this additional amount was kept in the budget with the hope that the provincial government would give it due consideration while granting funds to the town.
