SUKKUR, June 23: The budget of the Sukkur district council for the year 2005-06 was approved on Wednesday. District Nazim Nasir Hussain Shah presented the surplus budget while convener Iqbal Dawood Pakwala presided over the session. The budget, prepared by the EDO finance, was approved unanimously after a heated debate of four days.

The members were very angry for allocating an amount of Rs120 million at the discretion of the EDO finance.

It was decided that Rs18.7 million would be at the discretion of the EDO finance while the remaining amount of Rs110.3 million would be at the discretion of the district nazim and the DCO.

Some 25 new development schemes were included in the budget but the amount was not disclosed.

About 65 scholarships were announced for meritorious students of schools and colleges and students with insufficient means.

The district nazim said the budget was tax-free and no new tax had been imposed.

He said much importance had been given to the education sector as many ghost schools had now been reopened.

He said construction of cattle colonies were underway to shift cattle pens out of Sukkur and Rohri which would help keep the cities clean and ensure smooth flow of traffic.

He said drainage and water supply schemes were the core issues for which help of the federal government was sought which had approved the funds for the purpose.

He said a Rs474.227 million project of the urban drainage scheme phase-V had been approved by the federal government.

He said most important issue of the people of Sukkur was a scheme of potable drinking water for which we took efforts and a mega project costing Rs626.409 million had been sent to the federal government for approval.

He said the third mega project was installation of water filter plant in Rohri at a cost of Rs148.910 million.