MARDAN: Mardan district government on Monday presented Rs579.892 million budget for the year 2015-16 with 25 per cent (144.97 million) of the total outlay going as discretionary funds of the district government.

District nazim Himyatullah Mayar Khan presented the budget during a meeting of the district council chaired by convener Asad Ali Kashmiri.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mayar said as the district government was committed to promoting education, a hefty amount of Rs115.97 million had been allocated for the sector. He said the same amount was set aside for construction and repair of roads, widening of squares, drains and streets.

He said Rs57.98 million each had been allocated for health and water sectors. Mr Mayar said an amount of Rs28.99 million each was allocated for agriculture, women, youth/sports development.

The district nazim assured that with the help of both the treasury and opposition benches he would ensure fair and transparent use of development funds.

He said measures would be taken to make Mardan a model district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We will leave no stone unturned to bring development and prosperity, particularly to the backward areas of the district,” he claimed.

Mr Mayar urged the councillors to set aside their political affiliations for development and progress of Mardan.

Later, the convener adjourned the district council session for debate on the budget till December 9.

In Lakki Marwat, Lakki tehsil council unanimously approved the uplift budget for the financial year 2015-16 with total outlay of Rs195 million.

Acting tehsil naib nazim Hafiz Asif Saleem presided over the meeting held at the Town Hall in Lakki city.

Presenting the budget tehsil nazim Hidayatullah Khan said over Rs58 million would go for water supply schemes while Rs39 million would be spent on provision of municipals services.

He said 10 per cent of the total uplift budget amounting to Rs19 million each had been set aside for road infrastructure and sports, youth and women development.

Hidayatullah Khan said Rs58 million had been set aside as discretionary funds which would be utilised on uplift schemes with the consultation of tehsil council.

He asked the members to identify schemes so that experts of tehsil municipal administration could prepare feasibility, designing and estimated cost of such projects.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2015