KARACHI, July 8: Shah Faisal Town has approved a surplus budget of Rs387.024 million for the fiscal year 2008-09.

Briefing the newsmen about salient features of the budget on Tuesday, acting Nazim Karimuddin said that all resources would be employed for the town’s development. He said the town administration with public cooperation would ensure that Rs60 million cut in its uplift fund would not affect local development.

He said 48 per cent of the total budget, which comes to Rs187.618 million, had been allocated for development.

According to the budget documents, Octroi and Zila Tax would be the town’s major source of income, which is estimated at Rs214.264 million.

Mr Karimuddin said that Rs40 million would be spent on roads and footpaths, Rs10.04 million on construction and improvement of roads, Rs14.108 million and Rs91.860 million on repair and maintenance, Rs0.5 million had been kept aside for construction of an overhead bridge on the railway lines passing through the town in the coming financial year.

The budget preparation became difficult for the town administration due to a drastic slash in Octroi and Zila Tax, increase in fuel charges and 20 per cent increase in employees’ salaries.

Talking about the development works carried out during the last two years, he said that water and sewerage lines were replaced with new lines ensuring supply of drinking water to every house in the locality.

Besides, special attention was given to the construction of main roads, model roads and internal and outer streets, he said, adding that CCC flooring was carried out in small and katcha alleys.—APP