JHANG, Nov 1: Jhang district council approved a tax-free budget of Rs741.5 million for the year 2001-2002.

The budget was announced when the session of the house was convened for the second time.

Earlier on Tuesday, the session was postponed following a rift between Jhang SSP and Naib Nazim Syed Asad Hayat, who was serving as acting district Nazim. The police reportedly refused to carry out his orders of maintaining peace in the house.

The session was resumed the next day on return of district Nazim Sahibzada Sultan Hameed.

The Nazim sought provincial government’s help for the immediate transfer of the SSP and succeeded in convincing the members to resume the proceedings.

However, members of like-minded group (opposition) boycotted the session.

In his speech, the Nazim told the house that despite scarcity of resources, the government had presented a tax-free and surplus budget.

He said the budget of Rs741.5 million did not include the salaries of district government employees who were to be paid by the Punjab government.

An income of Rs263.3 million had been allocated for district council fund including Rs175.7 million for development and Rs85.2 million for non-development expenditures.

He said the budget showed a net saving of Rs2.6 million. A sum of Rs410 million had been allocated for development schemes in the district out of which Rs230 million was to be contributed by the Punjab government while Rs170 million had been earmarked from the council fund.

The Nazim maintained Rs25 million had been allocated for the construction of roads, Rs70 million for ongoing schemes, Rs10 million for the projects for women, Rs3 million for minorities and Rs40 million for development schemes recommended by citizen board.

He continued Rs5 million would be spent on Gojra underpass, Rs1.5 million on computer literacy rate, Rs10 million on sports complex, Rs1.5 million on the renovation of district council hall, Rs1 million on promotion of sports and culture and Rs7.5 million for discretionary fund of district Nazim and members of the district council.

Similarly, Rs700,000 had been allocated for institutions of district ‘Mohtasib’ and public safety commission, Rs100,000 for the press club, Rs200,000 for the rehabilitation of the disabled and Rs500,000 for encouragement of government servants.

The break up showed Rs155.2 million for the Khushal Pakistan Programme, Rs31 million for the Social Action Programme and Rs40 million for development of community centre.

Around 62 schemes of new roads, 16 of power supply and 30 of sewerage would be completed under the Khushal Pakistan Programme within next year while nine schemes would be completed under the social action board, the Nazim concluded.