HARIPUR, July 24: The District Council of Haripur unanimously approved Rs1.312 billion budget for the 2006-07 fiscal year on Monday. Convener Maj (retd) Safdar Zaman presided over the budget session which started on Saturday. District Nazim Yousaf Ayub Khan had presented the budget on July 19.

The budget earmarks a sum of Rs238 million for ongoing and new development schemes while the remaining amount is meant for non-developmental expenditures.

The nazim in his speech promised to distribute funds among all members of the council equitably.

He, however, criticised the attitude of provincial government for applying the policy of pick and choose and bypassing the district governments in their administrative affairs.

Union nazim south Haripur Irshad Khan and union nazim Kotehra Iqbal Tariq criticised the district government for what they called it lopsided policies. They also pointed out certain flaws in the budget document.

However the district council approved the new budget with majority votes.