HYDERABAD, July 2: Members of the Hyderabad District Council, at a meeting held on Wednesday, said the 2003-2004 budget of the district was replete with calculation and other mistakes.
Blaming the bureaucracy for not consulting union council Nazims while preparing the budget, the members regretted that expenditures of departments, falling outside the district government jurisdiction, were also included in the budget.
Qazi Qadeer said expenditures of the Board of Revenue, excise and taxation and highways were also included in the district budget although these heads were not under the district government. He added that 90 per cent expenditures would be consumed in salaries and allowances and people would be provided with no relief. He said there was no rationale behind enhancement of different allowances. He said only established terminologies should be used in the budget.
The member further said a huge amount was allocated for the education sector but the standard of education in government schools continued to decline. He said schools were converted into Autaqs and teachers were getting their salaries although they did not go to schools.
Referring to Rs45 million allocation for the health sector, he deplored that patients in government-run health institutions were asked to buy medicines from private medical stores. He also expressed concern over the closure of a leprosy centre in Latifabad and non-availability of required facilities at dispensaries in rural areas.
Calling for allocation of Rs20 million to line watercourses in the district, Mr Qadeer said the Sindh government should waive off 25 per cent contribution of farmers in lining of watercourses on the pattern of the Punjab government.
Khaliq Chandio termed the budget bureaucracy-specific. He said proposals and problems of elected representatives were neglected while preparing the budget yet they were required to approve it.
Another member, Irshad Kaimkhani, said the budget was very complicated. He called for allocating more funds to provide basic amenities to people.
About the amount allocated for awarding scholarships to students, Karim Talpur said it was insufficient for 102 union councils of the district.
Babu Ramzan Arain was of the view that the budget did not represent people’s aspirations and said proposals from union councils had not been called so far.
He said heads of the district government should be asked to present their previous two-year expenditure so that it could be verified.
Ibrahim Chishti said the budget only concentrated on salaries of employees. He proposed that more funds should be allocated for development schemes.
He said Nazims of union councils were answerable to their electorates and they should only pass the budget after their recommendations were considered.
Khushnud Ali Khan said the district council could not present a deficit budget under sections 112 and 119 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance.
Opposing disproportionate allocations in different heads, he said the budget should have been service-oriented. He said there should be some justification in enhancement of expenditures.
Ghulam Hussain Magsi blamed officers for destroying the local bodies system. He claimed that no funds were allocated for the welfare of people.
TEACHERS: The All Sindh Teachers Association (ASTA) has protested against the federal finance ministry for calling 15 per cent increase in salaries of government employees as presidential special relief allowance.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, ASTA secretary-general Qazi Aminuddin termed it a joke with the employees. He said the employees had already rejected the increase in their salaries as insufficient.