A financially strapped Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), which is hardly clearing dues of its staff, has unveiled Rs 31.620 billion budget ffor the fiscal year 2012-2013 KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed while exercising the powers vested in him by Sindh Government through the notification (SOA/LG/4(37)/2011) has formally approved the KMC budget for financial year starting from July 2012.
Addressing a press conference organised to unveil the budget here at Civic Center on Thursday, he informed that the tax free budget worth Rs 31.620 billion showed expected revenue estimates during 2012-13 at Rs 31, 629.14 million and expenditures at Rs 31,529.16 million with a surplus of Rs 99.98 million.
Topmost priority had been given to development works with the allocation of Rs 9167.34 million to engineering department whereas another major amount of Rs 3974.64 million set aside for the health sector to provide better facilities to citizens in KMC-run hospitals and dispensaries. The Education Department had been allocated with a handsome amount of Rs 2754.73 million for up gradation of schools and bringing improvement in the standard of education in government schools. Rs 2167.13 million had been set aside in the budget for provision of uninterrupted municipal services to the citizens of Karachi. Transport & Communication sector was allocated with a sum of Rs 1624.08 million whereas a sum of Rs 1067.13 million was allocated for development of parks and recreation facilities in the city.
Other major allocations in the budget include Rs 680.37 million for Information Technology sector and Rs 584.06 million for the Sports and Recreation Department of KMC. A sum of Rs 4928.30 million was shown as expected revenue in the budget from various departments including local taxes, Estate, Katchi Abadies, Orangi Projects, Charged Parking and Land Department whereas an amount of Rs 12800 million would be received to KMC from the government as Octroi Matching Grant and Rs 3000 million in the head of District ADP.
The other major expected sources of income include Rs 2105.44 million from Master Plan Department, Rs 1147.25 million from Engineering Department, Rs 1648.08 million from Municipal Utility Charges & Veterinary Department, Rs 1080.65 million from Transport & Communication Department and Rs 18.00 million from Municipal Services. Many important development projects had been planned in the next fiscal year for which allocations were made in the KMC budget.
These includes Rs 850.00 million for Karachi Circular Railway Project, Rs 777.52 million for development works of different roads, bridges and roundabouts, Rs 750 million for construction of Car Parking Plaza at Shahabuddin Market, Rs 500 million for Bus Rapid Transport Project, Rs 500 million for up gradation of graveyards, Rs 500 million for purchase of heavy machinery and equipments, Rs 423 million for development of parks, Rs 400 million for rehabilitation of inter-city and union council roads, Rs 400 million for wireless video surveillance system phase-II, Rs 380.99 million for purchase of equipments and machinery for hospitals, Rs 350 million for construction of roads, roundabouts and culverts, Rs 348 million for development works of KMDC, Rs 250 million for development works of Orangi and Landhi Cottage Industrial Zones, Rs 74.51 million for repairing and improvement works of 5000 Road Nagan Chowrangi to Sakhi Hasan and Nagan Chowrangi to Surjani Roundabout. Rs 50 million for construction of storm water drains, Rs 30 million for Karachi Mass Transit Project.
A total of 85 major projects would be carried out under ADP with a cost of Rs 3750 million whereas 36 small and big projects would also be completed under ADP with a cost of Rs 380 million.
Presenting the budget for next fiscal year, Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed said that the budget had been prepared in the light of SLGO 1979 with a view to make the city of Karachi a well developed and organised city. Despite having limited resources, we have tried to allocate adequate amount for every sector of civic life. No new tax was levied in the budget and the recovery of taxes during 2012-13 would be made sure so that the journey of progress and development could continue.
In the budget speech, he informed that new departments including Vehicle Department, Foreign Relations Department and land Record Department were being made to improve the services of KMC.
A model grave yard, with the estimated investment of Rs 10 million, has been planned to be established on a government land along Super Highway, besides completing the infrastructural development of existing graveyards in the city. The Administer also claimed that all properties (real estate) of KMC would be computerised in order avoid the illegal transfer/allotment of lands, and encroachment. In reply to a query, he said, those departments which failed to meet the target during the outgoing financial year, would face changes of faces.
To a question, he also claimed that two foreign countries have shown interest in the Solid Waste Management System in the city and a breakthrough in this regard was expected in few weeks. For the first time, required amount was allocated in the budget of Sindh Government for Bus Rapid Transit System in the city.