DADU, July 1: The Dadu District Council, at a meeting held here on Monday, approved its budget of Rs2.206 billion for 2003-2004 with no new tax.

Presenting the budget, District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar said Rs270 million was earmarked for development schemes and Rs1.936 billion for non-development expenditure and salaries of employees.

An amount of Rs4.59 million was fixed for finance and planning department, Rs49.969 million for revenue, Rs19.566 million for community development, Rs1.301 billion for education, Rs143.695 million for health, Rs87.565 million for works and services, Rs320,000 for information technology, Rs55.872 million for agriculture and Rs34.533 million was earmarked for salaries of employees of the district council and its expenditure.

A sum of Rs212 million was earmarked for 80 ongoing schemes of works and services, Sehwan taluka administration, culture, tourism and environment and Rs56 million would be spent on new schemes.

The Nazim said some major projects, including an overhead bridge over the Dadu railway crossing, would also be undertaken besides shifting the bus stand and Sabzi Mandi from the centre of the city and constructing a public park and a playground.

He said the district government had prepared a master plan to provide clean drinking water and carry out sewerage schemes at every taluka headquarters.

He said schemes of Rs1.5 million would be initiated in every union council of the district through their Nazims and schemes of Rs500,000 would be initiated through the district council members.