Rs9,305m budget presented in Lower Dir district council

TIMERGARA: The Lower Dir district council on Wednesday presented Rs9,305 million tax-free budget for the year 2019-20.

District Nazim Muhammad Rasul Khan presented the budget during a special session held at Balambat with convener Abdul Rashid in the chair.

All members of the council, heads of various government departments and finance officials attended the meeting.

In his budget speech, the district nazim said that Rs8454.749 million had been allocated for non-developmental expenditure including Rs7955.013 million for salaries of government employees and Rs499.736 million for non-salary expenditure like utility bills, leave encashment and others.

The nazim said that Rs851.013 million had been earmarked for developmental expenditure including Rs20.092 million grant to the district council.

He said that funds would be allocated for development schemes after consensus and due consultation with all parliamentary leaders of treasury and opposition benches.

Muhammad Rasul Khan said that 25 per cent of the funds for the year 2018-19 were not released to the district by the provincial government in the last quarter so the council faced financial crisis.

The district nazim said that Rs80 million would be spent on the ongoing development schemes in the district.

He said it was the fifth budget that was being presented by this council. The district nazim asked the members to focus on early completion of development projects.