NAWABSHAH, June 15: District Nazim Faryal Talpur presented a budget of Rs1679.688 million, with a surplus of Rs97.18 million, for the year 2005-06 here on Wednesday, which has been unanimously approved by the council. After presenting the budget, the district nazim reviewed the achievements of financial year 2004-05, and said that in the education sector, 243 educational institutions, a teachers’ resource centre, IT centre, H. M. Khoja Memorial Library, auditorium, museum, computer laboratory, higher secondary schools and colleges were set up, while elementary schools and a college were upgraded, besides funds, textbooks and a mono-technical institute for girls.

In the health sector, she said, the Sakrand taluka hospital was upgraded to 50 beds, additional dispensaries set up, medicines and instruments provided, a 30-bedded hospital at Manuabad proposed, a cancer hospital project in Nawabshah initiated, a 20-bedded rural health centre at Qazi Ahmed and 13 mother-child care centres set up, and rural health centres at Mehrabpur and Daulatpur restored.

In the physical planning and housing sector, she said that water supply source from the Rohri canal, other water supply and sewerage schemes as well as improvement of rural roads were carried out. Moreover, 82 villages were electrified, five provided gas, watercourses lined and irrigation system improved, she added.

Highlighting main targets to be achieved during 2005-06, she said that urban drainage scheme in Nawabshah would be completed, extension and improvement of water supply and drainage schemes accomplished, rural drainage schemes finalized, 88 ongoing and 114 new road schemes completed and 33 education schemes would be executed.

Moreover, 268 agriculture, education, health and physical planning schemes of the Annual Development Programme 2005-06 would be completed, she said.

Funds for the district might be increased and decision making powers, instead of mere implementation of decisions, given to the district government, Ms Talpur said.