PESHAWAR, June 22: District governments in the NWFP have been allocated Rs16.1bn to meet their salary, non-salary and development budget requirements during the 2003-04 financial year, reflecting an increase of Rs933m when compared with the allocations made in the soon-to-be-ended current year.

A major chunk of the annual allocation involving a sum of over Rs13bn would be utilized to pay salaries to the district government employees — the financial accounts of which would be supervised directly by the provincial government in continuation with the previous provincial government’s policy.

Out of the remaining annual allocation, a sum of Rs1.2bn would be distributed among the district governments to help them meet their recurring expenditures under the non-salary component of the budget, and Rs963m for carrying out development activities in their areas concerned.

The non-salary and development components would get Rs106m and Rs96m, respectively, in excess of the outgoing financial year’s allocations.

However, a sum of Rs756m — out of the Rs933m to be provided to the district governments this time round over and above the outgoing financial year’s allocation — would be consumed by the 15-per cent increase the provincial government has announced to effect in the public sector employees’ monthly salary from the start of the new financial year.

Besides, Rs884.66m would be distributed among the district governments as grant in lieu of octroi and zila tax. The distribution would be made in accordance with the resource distribution formula laid down under the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) award.

The quantum of funds to be provided separately to each of the 24 district governments for development works would continue to be in accordance with their respective share determined for the outgoing financial year.

In this way, out of the total development funds earmarked for the district governments for the 2003-04 financial year, Abbottabad district would get Rs38.9m, Bannu Rs30.4m, Battagram Rs21.3m, Buner Rs25.3m, Charsadda Rs39.3m, Chitral Rs19.4m, DI Khan Rs66.16m, Hangu Rs19.4m, Haripur Rs51.5m, Karak Rs23.2m, Kohat Rs25.7m, Kohistan Rs47.4m, Lakki Marwat Rs27.4m, Lower Dir Rs30.35m, Malakand Agency Rs21.5m, Mansehra Rs53m, Mardan Rs55.8m, Nowshera Rs34.5m, Peshawar Rs71.5m, Shangla Rs28.1m, Swabi Rs39.2m, Swat Rs46.9m, Tank Rs19.5m and Upper Dir district would get Rs30.8m.