The City District Government Peshawar on Wednesday presented an annual budget of Rs 6.5 billion for the financial year 2005-06 with Rs 3.71 billion for development and Rs 1.873 billion non-developmental expenditure.
According to the budget estimates presented by District Nazim, Haji Ghulam Ali the estimated receipts from collection of various taxes stand at Rs 6.713 billion. The total expenses of the district are Rs 5.341 billion with a surplus amount of Rs 1.37 billion. The budget also includes expenditure of Rs 580 million for the annual development programme of the district.
Giving break up of the budget, District Nazim Haji Ghulam Ali said that a share of Rs 145.6 million for citizens community boards, Rs 0.582 million for civil defence, while every union council of the district would have an amount of Rs 1.5 million for the development schemes. Every nazim will be given an extra amount of half million.
The district nazim presented the budget amid the protest and boycott of the opposition over the publishing of blasphemous caricatures in the Danish and Norwegian newspapers. The opposition was not allowed to table a resolution against the blasphemous cartoons during the budget session. The refusal of the convenor prompted opposition members to stage a walkout from the house. The protesting district council members also staged a protest demo from district council to Bacha Khan Chowk.
Addressing the district council members, Haji Ghulam Ali said that Peshawar was the oldest business and cultural city of the Sub-continent maintaining its importance since 2000 BC.
He said it did not make development due to the lack of interests by some vested interests people in the past. However, he said that now both federal and provincial governments had a desire to put it on the path of development. He said that a mess-like situation prevailed in the district government and the district was facing a number of problems. But, he ruled out the levy of any kind of taxes to increase burden on general public and vowed to search all possible means for continuing development schemes in the city.
Presently, he said a number of development projects like flyover at Rehman Baba Square, construction of modern burn center at Nishterabad, expansion of Government College for Girls, construction of science block in the building and completion of Regi Model Town were in progress with the co-operation of the provincial government. He was confident that all these projects would be completed within the stipulated period.
Unveiling his priority for the development of the city, Haji Ghulam Ali said the projects he wanted to start in Peshawar City included renovation and expansion of City Circular Road, construction of under passes on busiest roads like GT Road, Jamrud Road, elimination of encroachments, construction of new modern housing scheme, installation of modern street lights on GT Road and establishment of green belts on both sides of GT Road. Similarly, he said that the district government had also planned the establishment of modern bus terminal, truck stands, provision of potable water and an amusement park.