MIANWALI, March 14: A Rs2.04 billion tax-free budget for the fiscal 2005-06 was approved on Tuesday after a brief discussion. Some opposition members at the end staged walkout for not providing ample time for discussion on the budget.

Highlighting the salient feature of the budget, district nazim Haji Obaidullah Shadikhel said Rs0.50 billion and Rs1.53 billion have been allocated for the development and non-development expenditures respectively.

He said Rs161.5 million would be spent on the on-going schemes and Rs508.28 million on the new development schemes.

He said the district government would spend a record amount of Rs1,064 million on education.

He said Rs15.9 million would be spent on special education, Rs18.1 million on buildings, Rs11.5 million on water supply schemes, Rs22.4 million on improvement of water courses, Rs75.6 million on roads, Rs0.5 million on information technology, Rs66.4 million on new schemes under the chief minister’s programme, Rs33.1 million on health and Rs28 million on electrification of villages.

The nazim said Rs18.59 million would be spent on dualising of Wattakhel Road from Wattakhel Chowk to Railway crossing. A survey had been completed and all encroachment on the road would be removed, he added.

Mr Shadikhel said the district government with Rs250 million aid from Abad department would start various development projects in barani union councils of the district.

He said the chief minister had promised to provide Rs40 million for the construction of circuit house.

He claimed that he had made equal allocations for development projects in all union councils.