MUZAFFARGARH, Oct 20: The Punjab Local Government has approved development schemes presented by union council nazims of Muzaffargarh.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Akhtar Nazir Warraich said on Friday the district government had asked each union council nazim to submit their development plans worth Rs2 million in July last. He said the government had approved the schemes without considering the political affiliation of nazims.

The DCO also said each nazim would be given funds for one extra development project to be executed by Citizen Community Boards as Rs280 million for CCB-related schemes had yet to be utilised. He said he had asked each nazim to also submit one project regarding health or recreation.

The DCO said the total amount of the budget stood at Rs5 billion, of that 12 per cent would be spent on education, 12 per cent health, 18 per cent union councils, 21 per cent literacy, two per cent for Information Technology, eight per cent maintenances of offices, and the remaining on the overall development of the district.

Jamshed Dasti, convener of the District Council, said the DCO could not approve the schemes because this was the mandate of the district nazim or the district council. He warned if the DCO went ahead with his plans of distributing funds, the district nazim would move court.

Development schemes in the district have been at a standstill for the last two years because of litigation over budgets. District Nazim Sardar Qayyum Jatoi, who is from the Pakistan People’s Party, alleges the Punjab government has stopped development funds of the district after he refused to ditch his party.

Mr Dasti said the government had announced the execution of development schemes at a time when Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi was to visit the district on Oct 24. He said the government wanted to make the nazims happy so that they bring people for his public gathering.

Senior convener of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q Allah Dad Khar said the measure by the government would bring about prosperity in the district.

Mr Jatoi was not available for comment.