KARACHI, June 30: Seven towns of the metropolis approved their respective budgets for the financial year 2008-09, while the nazims, in their separate briefings to the media, complained against the Sindh government for cutting octroi zila tax (OZT) share to the towns during the last three months of fiscal year 2007-08.
The town councils of Korangi, Landhi, Baldia, Malir, Gulberg, Lyari and Saddar approved their respective budgets for the new fiscal year.
A surplus budget with an outlay of Rs446.7 million of Korangi Town was presented by town nazim Arif Khan advocate.
The nazim told newsmen that total receipts of the town stood at Rs446.7 million, including Rs274.39 million from the Sindh government in the head of OZT, Rs69.5 million from the city government as share of the town from property tax. He said the budget envisaged Rs228.6 million for development and Rs211.69 million for non-development expenditures. In the development budget, he said, an amount of Rs144.3 million was earmarked for the construction of roads, de-silting and repairing of drains, Rs54.7 million for streetlights and other mechanical works and Rs23.6 million for parks and playgrounds.
Landhi Town
The Landhi Town budget’s total outlay was Rs526.52 million, while Rs96,000 was estimated as surplus. No new tax was levied in the budget, which was presented by town nazim Dr Irshad Ahmed.
A major portion of the budget, Rs264.839 million, was allocated for development expenditures, while Rs261.15 million were earmarked for non-development expenditures, including payment of salaries to employees.
Baldia Town
Baldia Nazim Kamran Akhtar presented a surplus budget of Rs339.43 million in the town council, which passed it unanimously.
Mr Akhtar said the town was facing serious financial problem as the Sindh government did not release full OZT share to the town for the last three months. He asked the government to review its policy as a number of development projects might suffer due to a cut in town’s share. The outlay of development budget was estimated at Rs159.7 million while Rs122.41 million was allocated for non-development expenditures. He said the OZT share for 2008-09 from the Sindh government was estimated at Rs262.42 million.
Lyari Town
The Lyari Town Council approved a surplus budget of Rs552.606 million for the fiscal year 2008-09, envisaging Rs154.32 million for development expenditure.
According to the budget documents, the town expects a revenue income of Rs553.618 million and an expenditure of Rs552.606 million, showing a saving of Rs1.011 million.
The budgetary proposals were approved in the town council meeting, which was presided over by Naib Nazim Abdul Rahim Baloch.
Explaining the salient features of the budget, acting nazim of the town Mehmood Hashim told newsmen that the town administration had been facing shortage of funds since its establishment. With very limited revenue base, receipts from the provincial and the city government would be the major source of income, he said, adding that the town would meet its administrative expenses including salaries of the employees and development expenditures.
The acting nazim said work on different schemes had been taken with the cooperation of the city government and the Karachi Water Sewerage Board. However, the town suffered a loss of Rs10 million, which caused a setback to the development activity in the town, due to a cut in the octroi zila tax grant in April last. He said both the federal and provincial governments had been apprised of the town’s weak financial condition. TMO Afaq Saeed, senior officials and councillors also attended the press conference.
Malir Town
The Malir Town council passed its Rs441.02 million budget showing a surplus amount of Rs301,400.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Nazim Sharafat Ali said the Sindh government would give Rs245.8 million as town’s OZT share while the city government would release Rs91 million in the head of property tax share. The town would generate Rs24.23 million from its own resources. He said that an amount of Rs124.8 million was earmarked for the construction and repair of roads, buildings and streets, Rs39.6 million for installation and repair of streetlights and Rs13 million for parks and playgrounds. A sum of Rs144.2 million was allocated for salaries of employees, he added.
Gulberg Town
Gulberg Nazim Mohammad Kamal presented the town’s surplus budget with an outlay of Rs480.83 million. The town council unanimously passed the budget, which shows a surplus amount of Rs1.7 million.The nazim also complained about deduction in the OZT share of the town by the Sindh government. He said that Rs210 million were allocated in the head of development expenditures while an amount of Rs280.47 million was earmarked for non-development expenditures.
Saddar Town
The Saddar Town Council approved a Rs985.9 million budget with a surplus of Rs1.2 million for the coming financial year.
Town Nazim Mohammad Dilawar told newsmen that the expected receipts from the city and provincial governments would be Rs804.8 million, while the town would generate Rs136.5 million from different sources.