KHAIRPUR, July 8: Khairpur District Nazim Nafisa Shah presented her district government’s first annual budget of Rs191,6.029 million for the year 2002-2003 at the district council session here on Monday.

According to the budget documents, Rs184 million will be spent on development works, Rs138,3.8 million on salaries, Rs304 million on other expenses, Rs876,000 on the office of the district Nazim and Rs520,000 on the office of the district Naib Nazim.

For the ongoing development schemes Rs5 million was allocated, for the citizens community board Rs3 million and for repair of building of the district council Rs2 million.

The district Nazim asked the taluka Nazims to constitute committees for development schemes and fair utilization of funds.

She said that 300 large and small schemes, including those of small bridges and roads, were being implemented with a cost of Rs500 million under the Annual Development Programme, the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, and sugar cess and Dera schemes.

She said that city surveys and property surveys would be carried out soon and the revenue records would be revised.

She said that Khairpur district had shown 80 per cent progress in the KPP schemes and it was the only district in Sindh in which 450 teachers were provided training in computer science and other subjects.

She recalled that her government had spend maximum amount on water and sanitation sector under the SAP allocations as compared to the other districts.

Faqirabad union council Nazim, Shafi Mohammad Chandio, raised the point that around 150 villages were to get electricity under schemes of the previous budget and the even payment was made to Hesco in this regard but none of the proposed villages was provided power supply.

He further said that 76 villages were recommended for gas supply but none of the villages were provided with gas.

Nazim, UC, Sobhodero, Noor Jehan Abbasi, said that most of his area’s development projects were not being implemented. She complained that even minor development works were hindered on one or the other pretext.

Before beginning of the budget session, more than 50 women held a protest demonstration in front of the district council hall.

They were carrying banners and placards and demanding judicious distribution of Zakat funds and the healthcare facilities in the wake of outbreak of disease in their area.

Later the district Nazim Nafisa Shah held a meeting with the protesting women and assured them of solution of their problems.