HYDERABAD, July 3: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman on Thursday said Annual Development Programme funds of Rs151 million for 2002-2003 had lapsed after June 30 as the same could not be utilized in the stipulated time.

Winding up debate on the budget at the district council’s session, he said work orders for schemes under the Annual Development Programme had been issued but the amount could not be utilized as it was released quite late.

He asked the council members to form a three-member committee to assist him in financial matters so that he could properly pursue the case of the district.

The Nazim hailed the members for proposing what he called people-friendly amendments to the budget estimates. He vowed that he would not allow a divide in the council on urban-rural basis.

Referring to the allocation of Rs3 million for women’s welfare which women councillors said was not sufficient, Mr Rafiquzzaman said nowhere in the province such an allocation had been made.

About transferring funds to accounts of union councils, he said the council should adopt a resolution in this regard.

He said the Tando Mohammad Khan taluka would get its share of sugar cess funds and ADP funds would be distributed among union councils equally.

He further said funds and employees of the defunct district council had been merged and absorbed in the district government.

Later, talking to journalists, he admitted that the fund of Rs135 million allocated for new schemes under the 2003-2004 ADP was not sufficient.