Sialkot district government passes budget

Sialkot district government has unanimously passed its surplus budget amounting to Rs 3.19 billion for 2004-05 on Thursday here.
While presenting the budget Sialkot District Nazim Mian Naeem Javed in the house said that no new tax has been imposed in the new budget and termed it a development-oriented and peoples-friendly budget, the largest in the history of Sialkot district.
Highlighting the salient features of the budget he said that the Sialkot district government had focused its special attention on the improvement of education, health, and means of communication, electricity and agriculture sectors.
EDUCATION & HEALTH: Naeem Javed said that 67 percent of the total budget, which was more than Rs 1.45 billion, had been allocated for the promotion of education in the district.
Similarly, more than Rs 310 million were allocated for health, Rs 70.3 million for communication and Rs 20 million for agriculture, he informed the house.
The Nazim further told the house that 10 million rupees had been allocated for the improvement and repair of basic health units and rural health centres, while Rs 9.2 million would be spent on the improvement of Allama Iqbal Hospital, Sardar Begum Hospital, Civil Hospitals of Pasrur and Daska tehsils.
He said that Rs 2.6 million had been set aside for repair and replacement of diagnostic equipment of Allama Iqbal & Sardar Begum Hospitals, basic health units, rural health centres and civil hospitals of Daska and Pasrur tehsils of the district.
He further informed the house that Rs 5.6 million had been earmarked in the budget for provision of X-ray films, bedding and clothing in basic health units, rural health centres and hospitals of Sialkot district.
FARM SECTOR: He said that special steps had already been taken for the promotion and advancement of agriculture sector in the district.
All available resources were being mobilised for introducing modern farm technology while special attention had been accorded on effective research, improvement of irrigation system and provision of quality seeds of various crops in the district, he said.
The Nazim said that during the next fiscal year more than Rs 40 million would be spent on new and on-going agriculture projects in Sialkot, Daska and Pasrur tehsils of the district. Naeem Javed said that Rs 10.52 million had been earmarked for the social welfare of women-folk, while Rs 10.76 million for the improvement and development of parks, forests, fishery and Rs 10.42 million for livestock.
Under the education sector reform programme, as many as 138 schemes would be completed at a cost of Rs 140.20 million during the next financial year in Sialkot district. Naeem Javed said that Rs 0.5 million were earmarked for the provision of electricity in different villages of the district.
The members of the opposition staged a walkout from the session because of non-availability of printed copies of the budget.