MARDAN, July 24: Mardan District Nazim Haji Raza Khan presented a tax-free surplus budget of more than Rs1.452 billion for the district council for the year 2004-05 here on Saturday.

In his budget speech, Mr Khan explained that Rs1.251 billion had been allocated for non-development expenditure and out of this amount Rs1.188 billion would be spent on the payment of salaries of the district government employees, while Rs66.807 million had been kept for expenditures of different departments.

The budget session of the district council was presided over by council convener Attaur Rehman advocate.

The nazim said that Rs188.454 million had been kept for development expenditures, while Rs55.882 million had been allocated for annual development expenditures, Rs27.873 million for tehsil municipal administration (TMA) and Rs8.947 million for Takhtbai tehsil administration (TTA).

He said Rs22.310 million had been allocated for union councils, while Rs13.345 million for the education sector.

About generation of funds of the council, the nazim said that in the current year Rs71.101 million were expected from different sources.

Out of the total projected amount, Rs4.699 million would come from the pension of the employees of the defunct district council, Rs24.789 million from district tax receipts and Rs36.784 million from octroi tax.

He said Rs12.227 million had been earmarked for the district secretariat, while Rs7.833 million for on-going development schemes.