NAWABSHAH, June 27 District Council Shaheed Benazirabad approved a Rs2.952 billion budget on Saturday for fiscal 2009-10, with a Rs200,000 surplus amount.

This was the first session of the council with complete quorum after the resignation of Faryal Talpur from the district nazim seat.

Acting District Nazim Abdul Haq Jamali presented the budget at the council session presided over by convener Mohammed Islam Khan Zardari.

According to budgetary estimates, Rs1.874 billion has been kept for salary whereas Rs363 million has been allocated for non-salary components.

An amount of Rs200 million has been kept for health, Rs20 million for highways and bridges amid other allocations.

Speaking at the session, acting district nazim Abdul Haq Jamali said former zila nazim and MNA Faryal Talpur had fulfilled her promise and provided over 8,000 jobs for Shaheed Benazirabad.

He said the Zila government had provided Rs2.5 million to police department for betterment in law and order situation from which 15 Qazi Ahmed and Sakrand had been established.

He said the district government had also provided financial support to police for Police Commando Training Centre Sakrand.

He said Thalassaemia Centre Nawabshah was also provided Rs2.5 million for the purchase of various equipments and Rs1 million was given to H.M.Khoja Library to facilitate the general public.

The health department was provided three ambulances under special development programme for the district whereas Rs3.075 million were also given to the revenue department for safety of records, he added.

The district government also distributed agricultural land measuring 114 acres among the poor women, he said.He claimed that out of 744 closed schools in the district, some 258 were opened with the support of education department.

He informed that the district government had also got approved SNE of 1,836 new jobs, besides upgrading some primary schools to middle schools.

He said Rs1 million had been given to newly-established Benazir Public School for Girls where 400 plus girls from rural areas of district were getting education.