MIRPURKHAS, June 29: District nazim Pir Shafqat Hussain Shah Jilani has presented a tax-free and surplus budget with a total outlay of more than Rs1.91 billion for 2004-05.

The budget was presented here on Tuesday in the district council session. The nazim said the surplus amount stood at Rs19,800, adding that the Sindh government had allocated Rs600,000 for development schemes in every union council.

He told the district assembly that the Sindh chief minister has sought details regarding vacant posts of doctors and other staff of the health department, adding that they would be filled immediately.

He said the non-development budget for amounted to Rs1.53 billion, including a 15 per cent raise in salaries of government employees. Referring to non-development expenditures, he said that Rs2.1 million had been allocated for social welfare projects; Rs1 million for study tours and training of the district council members.

He said that Rs2.5 million were provided to the dialysis centre of the civil hospital, Mirpurkhas, while during the current year Rs1.5 million had been earmarked for its maintenance.

An income of Rs63.4 million is expected as the district's share in octroi and district tax while Rs35.3 million would be disbursed among the union councils. He said that the Sindh government was delegating more powers to taluka municipal administrations as they would now look after water supply as well as drainage schemes under the Annual Development Plan and the Khushhal Pakistan Programme.

Eight per cent increase was witnessed in budget for primary education with the allocation of Rs962.1 million this year, adding that there was a 20 per cent increase in the allocation for secondary schools and 36 per cent increase in allocation for colleges.