Rawalpindi district members urged to monitor budget preparation

The elected representatives in Rawalpindi district should monitor the budget preparation and make sure sufficient allocations for development projects. District Assembly should pass the budget after thorough discussion.
This was the gist of the seminar on "Budget of Rawalpindi District 2006-07. Government priorities and Peoples' expectations" held here at a local hotel on Wednesday. The seminar was jointly organised by Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives and National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Fayyaz Baqar, Country Co-ordinator of UNDP, Shehryar Ahmed Economist of CDPI, Afzal Khokhar, Naib District Nazim, Nazims Shakeel Awan, Arshad Farooq, Masood Bhatti and Councillor Nasreen Akhtar addressed the gathering.
The main purpose of holding seminar was to make the district government accountable under Article 137 of Local Government Accountable Ordinance, the speakers said.
They said that development expenditure in last year's budget was nominal just 15 percent and non-development expenditure 85 percent. After receipt of grant from chief minister, the development expenditure was increased up to 32 percent. In the next budget, the proposed figure of development expenditure is 26 percent, which means 6 percent less than last year's expenditures.
Participants of the seminar were told that every citizen of Rawalpindi is paying Rs 732 for non-development expenditure annually while Rs 130 for development expenditures. They should be given proper information of the budget expenditure.
Speakers were critical of the overstaffing of district government saying that huge chunk of the budget is being spent on salaries of the staff. Cut in staff is imperative to save funds, they said.
They asked the elected representatives to get copies of budget 10 days before presentation so that they may discuss every word and figure before final approval by the house.
Speakers also stressed the need for constitution of Citizens Community Boards in every union council. They would pay 25 percent of the development expenditure and monitor the projects.
The participants were told that district government is duty-bound to make the audit report public, but so far no government has submitted its audit report.
On honorarium for lady councillors, the speakers said that according to the ordinance, it was subject of the district government, but the Punjab government has denied it by amending the law.