Sialkot District Assembly here on Wednesday passed its tax-free development-oriented 2006-07 budget unanimously amounting to Rs 4.69 billion.
Presenting the budget in the district assembly, Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema said that over Rs 2.74 billion would be spent on various development projects.
He said that extraordinary efforts were being made for the promotion and expansion of education in the district. During next fiscal year more than Rs 1.84 billion, which is 67.10 percent of total budget, has been allocated for education sector, and Rs 375.8 million for health services. Cheema said that Rs 41.6 million has been earmarked for agriculture, Rs 173.9 million for buildings and communications and Rs 1.739 million for public health, industry Rs 1.8 million and Rs 3.79 million for labour.
Similarly, Rs 3.681 million has been allocated for forests, Rs 1.783 million for Public Health, Rs 1.333 million for fisheries and Rs 28.6 million for social welfare.
The Nazim said that Rs 16.4 million has been allocated for purchase of new machinery for Allama Iqbal Hospital. On this occasion he thanked the Surgical Instruments Association for donating surgical instruments for operation purposes.
Apart from this, he said, Rs 1.5 million has been set aside for bedding and clothing and Rs 2.46 million for X-rays. Cheema said that trauma centre would be operational next year and Rs 0.11 million had been earmarked for the staff.
The district nazim assured the house that development programme would be carried out evenly in the district and with co-operation of the elected members.