RAWALPINDI, July 30: The district council on Tuesday approved Rs2,191.958 million supplementary budget for the fiscal year 2002-03.

The budget was approved without debate despite the opposition members’ demands for the same. The main budget was also approved by the treasury benches without any discussion.

District Naib Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas, who presided over the session, himself presented the budget. The opposition benches objected to the dual role performed by the Naib Nazim, which they believed, was contrary to the traditions of the council.

Under the supplementary budget, formulated on the basis of the Punjab Finance Commission award given to the district government, Rs1,909.368 million would be spent on salaries and other non-development expenditures (87.1 per cent), while a paltry amount of Rs282.590 million had been allocated for the development schemes.

Mr Ikhlas while presenting the budget, termed the development allocation as peanuts, keeping in view the problems confronting the district and its needs.

The Naib Nazim said there were major development projects launched under Khushal Pakistan Programme (KPP), the on-going projects under annual development programme (ADP) and the schemes initiated under the special orders of the Punjab governor.

The district government, he said, had approved 500 projects under KPP, which required around Rs424.967 million and Rs99.54 million were needed to complete the on-going projects.