SUKKUR, July 28: A surplus budget of the Sukkur district government for fiscal 2008-09 was presented in the district council session on Monday which consists of about Rs254.783 million income coupled with an expenditure of 2,528.740 million.

The budget was presented by naib nazim and council convener Abdullah Ghumro as the District Nazim Syed Nasir Hussain Shah was out of the city. Karam Ali Mahesar presided over the budget session.

Giving details of the budget, Mr Ghumro said that the district government would spend Rs25 million on establishment of ‘Benazir Bhutto’ libraries in the five talukas of the district.

An education city would be established in the city in collaboration with the federal government at a cost of Rs one billion to provide modern education facilities to the students.

The education city would include an engineering college, a home economics college, a college of information technology and a college of fine arts, he said.

He said that Rs2 million has been earmarked for the welfare of elderly persons and minorities, Rs1 million for Hajj scheme, Rs55 million for councillors. He said that Rs1105.184 million have been allocated for education sector, which is 47 per cent of the total budget.

The total expected income of the district government is estimated at Rs2540.783 million while the expenditure, including those on salaries, development and other heads amount to Rs2528.740 million, he said.

Mr Ghumro said that the district government has completed a seven year term with the active cooperation of the members and the people of Sukkur.

He said that the targets fixed in the budget of 2007-2008 have been achieved despite numerous difficulties and vowed that their struggle for betterment and welfare of people would continue in the years to come.