KARACHI: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal presented a tax free budget for the financial year 2006-07 of Rs44.087 billion, showing a surplus of Rs121 million, at the city council session on Thursday.
According to the budget, no new tax has been imposed. The budget shows receipts at Rs44.208 billion and expenditures at Rs44.087 billion with Rs22.115 billion allocated for development and Rs21.97 billion for non-development expenditures.
In the budget, the highest allocation of Rs2.834 billion has been made for infrastructure (roads) followed by Rs2.422 billion for defunct KDA, Rs1.268 billion for education, Rs1.257 billion for water supply and sewerage and Rs1.198 billion for health.
Other major allocations included Rs23.900 million for agriculture, Rs103.600 million for rural water supply, Rs182 million for Fire Brigade, Rs52 million for solid waste management, Rs114.556 million for Information Technology, Rs253 million for citizen community board schemes, Rs371 million for buildings and Rs121 million for miscellaneous civic amenities.
During the year 2006-07, the major development schemes with allocations will include Tameer-e-Karachi Programme (roads, bridges, flyovers, drainage, crisis centres, water supply master plan, solid waste and other projects) Rs9.893 billion; development works in 178 Union Councils Rs1.700 billion, detailed study for environment- friendly transport for Karachi Rs500 million, model schools/campus projects Rs400 million, rehabilitation and repair of roads, footpaths, culverts, roundabouts and inter-sections Rs200 million, construction of parking plaza Rs200 million, improvement of parks Rs150 million and for KMDC Rs145 million are allocated.
The Nazim said that 250 million dollars will be spent on the construction of Pakistan’s tallest 46-storeyed IT Tower while Rs20.35 million will be spent on computerisation to link the city government, towns and Union Councils.
Mustafa Kamal said that a programme has been chalked up to provide housing facility to city government employees for which Rs100 million have been earmarked in the new budget. He said that a new system of community policing is being introduced in the metropolis at the town level. He said Rs20 million have been provided in the budget for this purpose.
Kamal said that Rs0.96 million have been earmarked for each Union Council, which overall amounts to Rs1.70 billion.
The Nazim also said that during 2006-07, Rs88 million have been set aside for women councilors and Rs13.50 million for labour and minority councilors. He said that in order to meet the fire fighting requirements, the city government has decided to purchase two new snorkles at a cost of Rs112.60 million while a search and rescue team of international standard will be setup at an exorbitant amount of Rs350 million, involving federal funding. Besides, Rs8.8 million will be spent on procuring 22 small sized vehicles for disaster management.
Speaking about development of rural areas, Nazim Karachi said that in order to bring such areas at par with urban areas, a Goth Infrastructure Develoment Special Fund is being setup to provide same facilities to rural areas as are available to urban areas. Initially, Rs20 million have been allocated in the new budget for this purpose and, if required, more funds could be provided.
Mustafa Kamal said that as an immediate step, work has been taken in hand for rehabilitation of infrastructure, especially roads, streets and sewerage and water systems in all the four industrial zones of Karachi at an estimated cost of Rs4.50 billion.
The city Nazim said that the Haq Parast leadership is keen to provide facilities to the citizens and they will soon witness a grand change in the metropolis, as they are heading towards prosperity and development.
