PESHAWAR, July 10: The majority of union council members have criticized the city district government for unequal allocation of funds among town councils and demanded to revise budget estimates for 2003-04.
The district council began discussion on the annual budget here on Thursday. Convener Dr Iqbal Khalil presided over the session.
Nazim Azam Afridi presented over Rs4.16 billion budget for Peshawar city district on Monday.
Hazarkhwani Union Council Nazim Himayatullah, taking part in the discussion, said the district government had accorded priority to Town-I in the budget allocations while the remaining three town councils were ignored.
He explained that despite huge revenue resources, the district government had allocated Rs20 million to Town-I while other three town councils to be provided Rs5 million each in the annual budget. Initially, he said, the government had decided to allocate Rs7.5 million to Town-I, but the figures were changed at the eleventh hour.
Instead of increasing allocations for Town-I, he said, the district government should exert pressure on the Nazims concerned to improve its receipts. He said Nazims of Town-II, III and IV should resign if the government did not revise the budget.
Charpariza Union Council Nazim Advocate Israrullah said the district government had ignored the under-developed areas in the budget. He proposed that the district government should allocate funds to the union councils in proportion to their backwardness and not to population.
He termed the budget an anti-union council one and said the union councils in semi-urban areas of the district were constantly ignored. He accused the City Development and Municipal Department (CDMD) of spending funds without the approval of the district council.
Speaking on the occasion, women councillor Ms Tasleem described the budget as balanced one and hailed the district government decision to establish a SOS Village in Peshawar and the proposed bulk water supply scheme.
Patwar Union Council Nazim Salim Khan asked the provincial and district governments to approve schemes to protect the area from river Kabul in flood season. In the last season, floods had damaged bridges and standing crops, he said.
Hayatabad Union Council Nazim Advocate Nawab Khattak demanded to declare Hayatabad township as fifth town council of the district. He said that despite funds allocation, the CDMD had failed to execute work on the sewerage treatment plant.
He urged the government to began work on the plant, provide land for the graveyard in Hayatabad and open a high school for boys in the township.
Nazim Sirajul Haq Yousafzai criticized the provincial government for withholding Rs6 million in the head of Zila tax and demanded early release of the amount.
Women councillor Shamim Qaiser, Nazims Ibadatullah, Riaz Baachaa and Malik Noushad also took part in discussion and criticized the budget for 2003-04.