KARACHI, June 28: The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board on Friday approved its next financial year’s budget with a total outlay of Rs4.49856 billion.

In the budget, Rs1.6248 billion have been earmarked for the K-III project which will supply additional 100 mgd to the metropolis. The cost of the project to supply clean drinking water from Hub Dam has been estimated at Rs1.02 billion.

Both these projects would be completed in three years at a cost of Rs 6.1 billion and Rs3.3 billion, respectively.

The new year’s budget was presented by KWSB MD Brig Behram Khan at a special meeting of the KWSB’s governing body held on Friday. It was presided over by additional chief secretary (development and planning) Shahzado Shaikh.

In his presidential remarks, Shahzado Shaikh called upon the city government to pay special attention to the KWSB. He said that payment of subsidy to the KWSB should be continued so that its affairs could be run in a better way.

According to the budget, the KWSB will spend Rs1.7075 billion on its development projects while its income is estimated on account of its water and sewerage services at Rs2.8737 billion. Its actual revenue is estimated to be Rs1.6248 billion, indicating a total income of Rs4.49856 billion which is equivalent to its expenditures.

An amount of Rs934.3 million has been earmarked for salaries of the employees, Rs496.1 million for repair and maintenance, Rs1300 million for payment of power bills, Rs65 million for payment of loans, Rs35 million to clear gas bills and Rs 35.2 million for purchases of alum, chlorine and other chemicals.

Other expenditures, such as petroleum, oil and grease for machinery are estimated at Rs58.9 million; Rs8.5 million on stationary, Rs9 million for manhole covers and bamboos and Rs55 million for medical facilities to the staff.

The KWSB has urged the Nepra to charge subsidised rates as new rates have financially overburdened the KWSB, engulfing almost half of its budget. The budget points out that in the outgoing financial year, the KWSB paid Rs1.204 billion on account of power bills and has now earmarked Rs1.30 billion for the purpose.

Besides, Brig Behram Khan pointed out that efforts were being made to install generators at Dhabeji and North Eat Filter Plant to generate power which would reduce curtailing power bills to an extent.

Referring to the devolution process, Brig Behram Khan said that under the transitional process, the reorganisation of the administrative affairs had been chalked out afresh in accordance with the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001.

He said that 12 field divisions of water and sewerage had been bifurcated under 12 towns. Likewise, 26 tax divisions had also been accommodated within 18 towns.

An amount of Rs 13.80million has been allocated for rehabilitation works of Jamila Street Pumping station, while another amount of Rs 11.05m has been allocated for survey of under-ground water in the city. The three development projects are being funded by the government.

From its own coffer, the KWSB would be carrying out development works of worth Rs 79.60 million, out of which Rs 19.260 were allocated for water distribution service, while Rs 28.810 million for sewerage service.

During the current year terminating on June 30, the KWSB estimated the development expenditures to the tune of Rs 24.64 million through its own resources.

Under the foreign-aided project, the KWSB had allocated an amount of Rs 1020 million for only one project, ie Karachi Water Supply Improvement Project.

An amount of Rs 1.40 million was spent during the year for supply of water through tankers to deficient pockets, but for the new year there is no allocation, as according to KWSB, Pakistan Rangers are managing the water supply on self-finance basis now.

Some of the services wise expenditures (current and development) estimated for the year 2002-2003 are as follows:

Bulk Water- Rs 185.982 million against Rs 130.173 million as revised for the year 2001-2002; Water Distribution- Rs 260 million against the revised estimate of Rs 180 million for the current year; Sewerage-Rs 255 million against Rs 170 million that of 2001-2002; Controlling Offices-Rs 473.318 million against Rs 326 million for the current year; Electrical/ Mechanical (Water)- Rs 1615.797 million and Electrical/Mechanical (Sewerage)- Rs 77.293.

Town wise allocations for establishment, contingencies, repairing and maintenance, development in the year 2002-2003 areas follows:

Keamari- Rs 18.543 million, Site- Rs 22.987 million, Baldia- Rs 16.998 million, Orangi- Rs 27.403 million , Lyari- Rs 49.800 million, Saddar-Rs 56.365 million, Jamshed- Rs 60.427 million, Gulshan-i-Iqbal- Rs 47.176 million, Shah Faisal- Rs 25.655 million, Landhi- Rs 25.065million, Korangi Rs 25.607 million, North Nazimabad-Rs 42.605 million, New Karachi-Rs 40.007 million, Gulberg- Rs 32.308 million, Liaquatabad- Rs 35.974 million, Malir- Rs33.083 million, Bin Qasim- Rs 18.135 million and Gadap- Rs17.259 million.