MALAKAND, Nov 12: The Malakand district council approved a tax-free budget of about Rs440 for the year 2001-2002 at its session, held at the Jirga Mall here, on Monday.

The budget includes about Rs158 million annual revenue income of the district government and Rs121 million expenditures.

During the session, convened by Syed Ahmad Ali Shah, house members proposed certain changes in the amount reserved for different schemes.

Majority of the members expressed their gratitude to district Nazim engineer Mohammad Hamayun Khan for presenting a surplus and tax-free budget. It was proposed that the development grant be distributed equally among the union councils.

Highlighting the salient features of the budget, Hamayun Khan said that in the budget, a balance had been maintained in district revenue receipts and expenditures — both developmental and non-developmental. Efforts had been made not to put additional burden on the masses, he added.

According to the Nazim, the income had been distributed in three sectors, including about Rs113 million from the provincial government in the form of developmental, non-developmental grants and octrai and district tax.

He said about Rs316 million would be provided for salaries in the district by the provincial government, while about Rs45 million would be given to the district from the local funds.

He said the total income of the district for the year 2001-2002 would be about Rs475 million. By the end of the year, he added, the district government would have a reserve of about Rs36 million.

The Nazim said Rs6.5 million would be spent on 24 ongoing schemes under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme (KPP).

About two million rupees have been allocated for two district function schemes. Under the KPP, about Rs30 million would be provided by the PSDP 2001-2002 for new schemes in all the union councils of Malakand.

About nine million rupees have been allocated on new development projects under the last year’s KPP.