July 01, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1429

HYDERABAD, June 30: The district government’s budgetary estimates for 2008-09 were passed by the district council on Monday amidst admission by EDO finance and planning Javed Junejo that budget did have some mistakes that would be rectified.

Surprisingly, the session witnessed a verbal bout between convener and the council finance committee chairman Q.Mohammad Hakim.

The chair had adjourned the session on Saturday for seeking some clarification from EDO finance regarding allocations of funds in the head of district naib nazim as well as income and expenditures of 2006-07 and 2007-08 after chairman finance committee had insisted that budget had no mistakes. Today, the convener noted that it had been observed that budgetary estimates had some mistakes that also included those relating to district naib nazim’s head. He said that expenditures should have been shown in volume VI-VI that had not been shown.

Likewise, he said, expenditures of 2006-07 are not shown in the documents adding that income of eight months of on-going fiscal year should have been included. He said that after budget is referred to house’s finance committee it was then its responsibility that it should scrutinise it. Upon this observation the chairman finance committee interrupted him to make his point after seeking chair’s approval and said that the committee had done its job as per requirements of budget rules and it couldn’t perform clerical job.

The chair replied to him that it was not a clerical issue and if errors went unnoticed in the calculations, then it would affect whole budgetary estimates that’s why clarification is needed from EDO finance, Javed Junejo, who then told the house that while preparing budgetary estimates exceptional measures had been undertaken and to check financial anomalies.

He said that he wouldn’t defend any irregularities in the budget which includes 10,000 heads and, after announcement of Provincial Finance Commission award, it was race against the time for finance and planning officials that led to some minor mistakes. Regarding convener’s query about showing income of Rs5 million in health and education sectors, EDO said that these are proposals that would be received under various heads to be subsequently presented before council for its approval.

He said that as soon as expenditures of 2006-07 are finalised, the same would be presented before the council. He admitted that budgets had some mistakes but these would be rectified in due course of time and said that these would also be presented before the house for approval.

Following EDO’s admission of mistakes, the chair again held finance committee responsible for not properly going through budget documents thus reflecting that it didn’t play its due role. His observation again invited a spontaneous reaction from finance committee chair, Q.Hakim, who said that there were no mistakes in budget and committee’s work was up mark.

After chair observed that budget preparation would be given serious attention and house’s finance committee would play due role, Q.Mohammad Hakim again defended the committee saying it had worked diligently. However, this time Dr Arif Razmi sought to defend the chair on the ground that if there were mistakes then these should not be covered but looked into.

Mehboob Abro said that two days time should be given to finance officials for correcting errors and a committee should be formed for this purpose. His colleague Sajid Baloch said although she was member of finance committee but she was not consulted. Her argument was countered by Rauf Jafri, saying that she did turn-up in meeting but said since she was ill and she would agree with whatever observation is to be given by committee.

At the fag end of proceedings the budget was presented for approval by the chair and it was approved by the house. The convener said that difference of opinion should not be considered as a rift as it was a positive sign of debate.

Earlier, the members condemned different incidents cell phone snatching in which council members were robbed of their phones. Naseema Khan rose on a point of order to say that she had been deprived of her valuables in unit-5 Latifabad. Other members also shared their experiences of such incidents and the convener stressed the need that DIG police should take notice of these incidents.