HYDERABAD, Aug 1: The taluka council, Latifabad, on Saturday approved its deficit budget of Rs221.904 million with a resolve to meet the loss through commercial schemes and revenue recovery.

Taluka Nazim Abdul Jabbar Khan presented the budget. Of total receipts of Rs2084.882 million, the taluka expects Rs161.547 million from the revenue side and Rs46.941 million from the capital side.

According to the break-up, an amount of Rs52.8 million has been allocated for development works including roads, drains, streets and sanitation. The taluka municipal administration plans to setup green belts at a cost of Rs2.1 million whereas Rs5.5 million have been allocated for boundaries of graveyards.

At least Rs300,000 are earmarked for destitute, orphans and other welfare works. The council also approved revised estimates of Rs209.315 million of the fiscal year 2003-04. An amount of Rs53.580 million has been earmarked for contingencies.

The TMA is expecting an increase of Rs30 million under the octroi and zila tax share. The proposed commercial schemes have been estimated at Rs23 million. Other receipts of the TMA included OZT of Rs94 million and Rs15 million under immovable property and betterment tax.

The break-up of new expenditures of Rs11.915 million showed that Rs8.515 million would be spent on the creation of 170 new vacancies from BPS-1 to BPS-17, Rs100,000 would be spent on tractors trolleys and blades. Four new vehicles for officers and sub-engineers will be purchased at a cost of Rs1.2 million.

Charged expenditures are estimated at Rs810,000 whereas there are miscellaneous expenditures of Rs49.507 million. Presenting the budget, the taluka nazim demanded that the Sindh government should increase the octroi share of the taluka given the length of the area.

He said the Latifabad taluka was spread on rural and urban areas, therefore, expenditures were relatively higher than other talukas. Mr Khan said the building control department should also be devolved to the TMA level which would lead to increase in earning of each taluka.

He deplored the Sindh government was not contributing a single penny to his administration whereas there were salaries expenditures of Rs2.5 million of each month. Ishtiaq Aijaz, Fasih Shah, Naseem Fareed, Sajida Baloch, Fareeda Khanum and others welcomed the budget. They said real statistics had been brought on the record which show a deficit of Rs10 million.