HYDERABAD, June 29: The district council of Hyderabad on Thursday passed the budget for the fiscal 2006-07 amid calls for revision as members of the council described allocations for each union council as insufficient.

They said that the district government did not take its coalition partners into confidence while preparing the budget.

They said that UC-wise allocation was in sharp contrast to what was allocated in the former tenure of the district government.

The members concluded debate on the budget on the second day and approved with majority of vote.

HPG members Rana Rashid, Malik Rafiq and Nasir Baloch and ADP members Yamin Soomro, Khan Mohammad Chandio, Mehboob Abro, Shafqat Shah, Abbas Khan, Abdullah Shoro and JUP member Hussain Bux Hussaini said that district government’s finance and planning department did not consult them before preparing the budget.

Abbas Khan said that the municipal ground needed to be given to the Latifabad taluka as it had now fallen into the Qasimabad taluka.

Yamin Soomro objected to printing of budget’s title in Urdu and other details in English, ignoring Sindhi.

He said that funds could have been allocated for internal and external renovation of Pucca Qilla and shifting of its residents.

He demanded that offices should be constructed for three UCs of the Qasimabad taluka.

Hussain Bux Hussaini said that allocation of about Rs300,000 for each UC was ridiculous.

“The white elephant (Hyderabad Development Authority) continues to harass people who protest against persistent water shortage”, he said.

Mehboob Abro said that equal number of development works should be executed in all talukas because Qasimabad taluka also needed sports ground, parks and roads.

He said that before budget a meeting of district advisory committee should have been held.

“The details of schemes executed under citizen community board (CCB) are not disclosed. Special grants should be given for four UCs of Qasimabad”, he said.

He said that UC-wise allocations should be increased so that members could approach their electorates in an honourable way for seeking votes.

Malik Rafiq, who was the speaker of the day, expressed resentment over the fact that despite being allies of the district government he and his other colleagues were not consulted in budget-making and the entire document was prepared in closed rooms.

Pointing out that during the last seven months no scheme was obtained from nazims, he apprehended that it was an attempt to defame the district government.

He urged the district nazim to take UC nazims on board about development works and their schemes should also be considered.

He said that even allies of the district government were unhappy therefore they should be taken into confidence.

Khan Mohammad Chandio said that no one paid heed to improvement of graveyards and recently a murder of a UC nazim’s nephew had taken place in Tando Yusuf graveyard.

He said that there was no lighting, proper entrance and boundary wall in graveyards.

Rana Rashid said that the officials had worked hard to marginalise UC nazims.

Nasir Baloch rejected a paltry allocation for UCs saying it should be reviewed and deteriorating conditions of the Noor Mohammad High School which produced big names must be considered.

He proposed diversion of funds from prizes for students and government employees to treatment of needy Hepatitis patients.

HPG members Rashid Khan, Dr Arif Razmi, Dr Rakshinda, Javed Kardar, Rozina Khan, Parvez Ranjha, Haji Ashraf, Ashraf Munna, Parvez Ranjha, Ghulam Rasool Samoo, Sajida Baloch, Farhat Khan and Rana Siddiqui paid tributes to the district nazim for presenting a balanced budget.