BATTAGRAM: District nazim Attaur Rehman presented Rs2.58 billion revised budget in the Battagram district council for ongoing fiscal year which was passed with majority here on Friday.

The council budget for 2016-17 was lying unutilised as the opposition members had secured a stay order in this regard.

The opposition members had claimed that the district government was ignoring them in allocation of development fund. However, the Peshawar High Court Abbottabad bench rejected the opposition’s allegations and ordered the district government to utilise its budget.

Speaking in the house, the nazim said that the provincial government had provided Rs218.4 million to the district government for development schemes, which still remained unutilised.

He said that the amount would be spent according to the government guidelines during the current financial year.

He said that the district government had allocated Rs1.90 billion for non-development expenditures. He said that the current budget for non-development expenditure was raised due to increase in the salaries of government employees.

He said that Rs78.13 million was set aside as non-salary budget and Rs 2.84 million for higher secondary schools autonomy fund.

He said that funds had also been earmarked for the enrolment campaign, welfare of families of deceased government employees and provision of life-saving medicines in the local hospitals.

The district nazim assured the opposition of cooperation in development of their respective areas.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2017