RAWALPINDI, Jan 14: Launching of development projects and adopting austerity in all matters will be given top priority in the preparation of budget for the Tehsil and district level governments.

In special rules framed by the Punjab government, maximum stress has been laid on the local governments to prepare development-oriented budgets for their respective Tehsils and districts. Moreover, the estimates on account of revenue expenditure should be prepared on the basis of austerity.

Provisions for development expenditure should be progressively increased, whereas new expenditures on revenue account have to be kept at the minimum. Similarly, preference should be given to development projects that do not involve a recurring cost, the new budget rules say.

The development budget must be based on the principles of bottom-up planning by involving the citizens community boards to identify development schemes.

The budget of a Tehsil has to be approved by the members of Tehsil Council, who have to be provided with copies of the budget two weeks before the presentation of the same in the Tehsil assembly meeting.

During the budget session, the Tehsil Council will take up no other business except discussion on the budget in three stages — presentation of the budget, discussion and voting.

It will be Naib Nazim’s duty to fix periods for the stages mentioned under rule 93, and the periods thus fixed have to be specified in the agenda of the budget meeting.

The budget rules also invest the Tehsil Council members with the discretion to propose changes in the budget — where they consider it necessary — and the Nazim will have to make amendments in accordance with the Council’s decision under rules 106 and 107.

To ensure transparency in monetary matters, the finance office of a local government has to bring to the notice of the Nazim financial irregularities, if any, in the administration of the budget, the rules point out.

All reports made by the finance office under rule 124 have to be considered by the Nazim and the Council, who should take necessary steps to tackle financial irregularities.