LAHORE, Jan 9: The Allama Iqbal Town general council unanimously approved on Wednesday a tax free, surplus budget of Rs161.85 million for the remaining part of the current financial year.

Town Nazim Sardar Adil Omar presented the budget showing an expected expenditure of Rs147.9 million and a surplus of Rs1.395 million at a meeting of the general council held at the Nadir Hall of the district courts complex here with Naib Nazim Mian Javed Ali in the chair.

The Nazim said the largest allocation of Rs60 million had been made for planning at the grassroots level. He, however, gave no details of the proposed projects.

He also gave no details of the new projects for which the second largest allocation of Rs40 million was made.

The Nazim announced an allocation of Rs500,000 in development funds for every general councillor. A similar allocation was made for every councillor representing women, workers and minorities with the condition that it should be utilized in the respective union councils.

A sum of Rs20 million was allocated for repair and maintenance of roads, streets, parks and a slaughterhouse. An amount of Rs500,000 was earmarked for the welfare of widows.

The salaries of Town Council employees are to be paid by the government. A Rs1.97 million fund, however, was set aside for miscellaneous expenditures of the town Nazim’s office. Another Rs1 million were kept for payment of honorarium to the Nazim and the Naib Nazim and to meet “other expenditures.”

The Nazim said 81 percent of the town’s income (Rs130 million) would come from the city district government. The town would generate the remaining 19 percent (Rs30 million). The share of the town from the Kot Kamboh Bakkar Mandi fee was estimated at Rs77 million. Its share from the property tax receipts was expected to be around Rs26 million and from transfer fee on immovable property around Rs28 million.

The Nazim said the town expected an income of Rs13.5 million from slaughterhouse fee, Rs7.85 million from licensing and permits and Rs6 million from the approval of building plans. Another Rs1 million were expected from the auction of parking fee collection rights and half a million each from fines and fees to be charged for grant of permission for fairs and exhibitions. Income from other sources was estimated at Rs1.5 million.