LAKKI MARWAT, May 22: The budget and development committee of the Lakki Marwat district government on Monday approved Rs67.8 million non-development budget for the fiscal year 2005-06. The committee held its meeting at the office of district coordination officer. District Nazim Humayun Saifullah Khan presided over the meeting.

Assistant Coordination Officer Syed Khalid Israr Shah and heads of line departments also attended the meeting.

Allocation of funds for line departments came under discussion at the meeting and the committee approved the review budget after making minor changes in consultation with officials concerned.

The committee took up the supplementary budget for water management worth Rs84.2 million for discussion and decided to present it to the district council for formal approval.

Executive District Officer (Schools and Literacy Department) Attaullah Khan Meenakhel and Deputy District Officer (Water Supply and Sanitation) Abdul Wahab Shahid Abbasi demanded more funds under POL, TA and other heads.

The district nazim directed the executive district officer (finance and planning department) to hold meetings with officials of education and public health departments to listen to their reservations and remove their grievances by earmarking additional funds.

He asked the heads of line departments to ensure transparent utilisation of government funds and bring a decrease in non-developmental expenditures besides improve their performance and efficiency.

He took serious notice of stray dogs in the city and other localities of the district and directed the authorities of health and TMA to launch a joint operation to kill stray dogs.

The nazim stressed the need for purchase of regulators for water supply schemes saying that installation of regulators would help to protect tube well machinery from power fluctuation.