LARKANA, July 9: Qambar-Shahdadkot District Nazim Nawab Shabir Ahmed Chandio on Wednesday presented Rs1.983 billion budget for 2008-09 with a surplus of Rs534,000.

The nazim said that the district council had received Rs1.647.201 billion from Sindh government this year, Rs88.529 million less than last year’s allocation.

He said that in spite of the cut in allocation the district government would have to pay Rs17 million extra only in salaries as they had been increased by 20 per cent.

He said that the district government had an opening balance of Rs318.350 million and would receive Rs18.532 million as Octroi and Zila share from the government.

He said that the total receipts for the 2008-09 would be Rs1.984.083 billion while the expenditures stood at Rs1.983.549 billion. A lion’s share of the budget would go to salaries.

Giving break-up of allocations for development schemes the nazim said that Rs265.831 million had been earmarked for completing work on ongoing schemes while Rs66.457 million would be spent on undertaking new development schemes.He said that Rs7 million set aside for rural development package had now been reallocated in the budget and Rs49.843 million had been allocated for new development schemes.