June 30, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1428

OKARA, June 29: The district council approved a Rs3.694 billion tax-free budget for 2007-08 on Friday, with Rs2.393 billion for non-development expenditure. The district council also eliminated toll tax from the district on the recommendation of house members.

Presenting the budget, District Nazim Syed Asad Ali Gillani said that Rs69,29,34,000 had been allocated for development projects. He said the total expenditure was estimated to be Rs3,664,520,000 and added that Rs36,013,000 had been allocated for the revenue department, Rs1,417,000 for the excise & taxation department, Rs1,237,000 for the motor vehicles authority, Rs827,000 for the registration department, Rs6,783,000 for the forestry department, Rs84,470,000 for general administration, Rs1,539,913,000 for the education department, Rs359,913,000 for the health department, Rs57,841,000 for the agriculture department, Rs1,488,000 for the fisheries department, Rs93,456,000 for animal husbandry, Rs9,500,000 for the cooperative department, Rs26,522,000 for the buildings department, Rs155,099,000 for the highways department, Rs13,732,000 for baitul maal & social welfare, Rs1,666,000 for civil defence, Rs1,166,000 for the industries department and Rs1,871,000 for the labour department.

Gillani also told the house that the Punjab government would give Rs21 billion from its Annual Development Programme for various development projects in Okara district.

Earlier, the house unanimously condemned the British government for conferring knighthood on controversial writer Salman Rushdie.