Annual budget: Rs17 billion approved for Faisalabad district

The approval came in a meeting presided over by District Coordination officer Najam Ahmad Shah with all executive district officers participating.

The meeting was told that Rs670 million would be collected in land revenue and Rs843.4 million in octroi.

The DCO said that the district will also get provincial grants of Rs434 million for development expenditures and Rs1.40 billion for non-development expenses. The opening balance, he said, was Rs1.64 billion.

He said Rs3.76 billion had been allocated for non-development expenditure, including Rs1.35 billion for salaries. Rs758.7 million has been allocated for execution of on-going development schemes. An amount of Rs27.03 million had been earmarked for ongoing citizen community board schemes.

The balance of vertical grants for development will be Rs517.0 million and that for non-development grants Rs3.15 million. The balance of sugarcane development cess fund will be Rs126.8 million. As much as Rs232.66 million has been allocated for new development projects.

The DCO said it had been decided to raise the budget for purchase of medicines by 14 per cent to Rs256 million.

He said Rs125 million has been provided for dispensaries run by district council. Rs20 million has been earmarked for treatment of livestock. Rs685 million has been allocated for the maintenance and repair of the official buildings and roads.

The DCO said that Rs167.70 million would be provided to the schools councils.

He said Rs22 million has been earmarked for the promotion of sports. Rs2.5 million will be spent on plantation.

The DCO said development of the education and health sectors was the priority of the government. He said concrete measures would be taken to strength the social sector and urban development.

He stressed the need for timely revenue generation and directed the EDOs to pay special attention on recovery of revenue arrears.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2013.