SUKKUR, June 29: The district nazim here on Monday presented a surplus budget of the district government for the year 2,004-5 at the district council session.

The nazim, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, said that estimated income of the district government in the next year was Rs1.60 billion and expenditure Rs1.59 billion.

He said that the district government would receive Rs1.40 billion from the provincial government and earn the remaining amount through octroi and zila tax. About the expenditure, he said that Rs1.14 billion would be spent on the salaries of the staff and Rs231 million on development schemes.

He said that Rs2.3 million had been earmarked for grant to different educational institutes, hospitals and other social institutions. The nazim said that electricity would be provided to more than 100 villages and gas to 25 villages.

Mr Shah said that last year the district government spent Rs180 million on development schemes under its development programme and Rs108 million on 23 schemes under the Drought Emergency Relief Assistance programme.

He said that Rs319 million was spent on six schemes including four road projects. He said that textbooks worth Rs9 million were purchased from the Sindh Textbook Board and distributed among students, Rs5.6 million scholarships were distributed among girl students and more than Rs100 million among the school management committees.

Some of the councillors boycotted the budget session, saying that neither any development work had been undertaken in their areas this year nor was it planned for next year.