KARACHI, June 26 In a rare show of solidarity, the city council unanimously passed the Karachi city government's surplus budget for the financial year 2009-10 with a total outlay of Rs52.360 billion soon after it was presented by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Friday.

According to the budget documents, the total receipts of the city government during the financial year 2009-10 are expected to stand at Rs52.531 billion while the total expenditure has been estimated at Rs52.360 billion, leaving an amount of Rs170.36 million as surplus.

In the budget, an impressive Rs26.818 billion has been allocated for development expenditure, while a sum of Rs25.542 billion has been allocated for non-development expenditures.

The Rs52.531 billion budget of the city government also includes the Rs11.396 billion budget for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

It was Mr Kamal's fourth and last budget as city nazim, and he presented it before a house chaired by Convener and City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil.

Mr Kamal took the opportunity to inform the house about his past performance, achievements and various development schemes that he had initiated and completed in his now almost completed four-year tenure as nazim.He sought the help of both opposition and treasury benches in his recent initiative of setting up the Karachi Development Trust Fund. He also underlined the need for unity of command, at least for the provision of municipal services in the city, and demanded that the city and traffic police should fall under the administrative control of the city government.

As it has done for previous budgets, the city government gave top priority to the development sector and allocated Rs11.361 billion for its Works and Services department. An amount of Rs400 million has been reserved for the construction of the Signal-Free Corridor IV (on Sharea Faisal), which would be completed with a total cost of Rs2.9 billion during the financial year 2009-10. At least Rs2 billion has been allocated for development and improvement of basic infrastructure.

A sum of Rs10.123 billion is earmarked for the education department, out of which Rs250 million would be spent on establishment of English medium schools in 18 towns of the metropolis, Rs679 million for the development of modern schools and Rs50 million on the training of teachers.

An amount of Rs3.983 billion has been allocated for the health sector. The nazim announced that in the fiscal year 2009-10, Rs400 million has been earmarked for the purchase of 20 ambulances. At least Rs365 million has also been set aside for the establishment of a hospital and a cardiology centre in Baldia Town, Rs250 million for the Karachi Medical and Dental College, Rs160 million for the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases and Rs130 million for setting up maternity homes in Shah Faisal Colony, Landhi and Manzoor Colony.

The nazim said that a sum of Rs1.524 billion has been allocated for the transport and communication department, out of which Rs500 million has been allocated for the CNG buses project, KARACHI Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal presenting the city government's budget on

Rs230 million for the construction of pedestrian bridges and Rs400 million for the construction of new parking plazas in the city.

An amount of Rs2.941 billion has been allocated for the municipal services department, out of which Rs170 million is allocated for the purchase of two 'snorkels' and 10 fire tenders.

The nazim unveiled a programme to establish a cricket team at the city level, for which he said that Rs20 million has been allocated in the financial year 2009-10.

'Meeting cleared the air'

He maintained that on Thursday he met with opposition councillors and it was decided that the city government would leave no liabilities and it would complete all ongoing schemes before the end of its term.

He said that an amount of Rs2.5 million each would be allocated for all the 255 members of the city council so that they could initiate and complete development schemes in the first quarter of the financial year 2009-10.

Other development expenditures

Other major allocations include Rs1.5 billion for the privatisation of the solid waste management system; Rs939.17 million for the Tameer-e-Karachi Programme; Rs550 million for the citizen community board (CDGK share); Rs500million for the Karachi Mass Transit System; Rs451.24 million for development works in 178 Union Councils/City Councillors; Rs370 million for Wireless Video & Surveillance System Phase-II; Rs350 million for the Elevated Expressway; Rs250 million for Corridor-III; Rs250 million for improvement and maintenance of roads, footpaths, culverts, crossings and intersections; Rs220 million for Corridor-II; Rs200 million for development and improvement of intercity, town and union council roads and intersections; Rs130 million for construction of the Awan-e-Rifat Art Gallery; Rs130 million for construction of Orangi and Landhi Industrial Areas; Rs100 million for purchase of mechanical sweeping machines; Rs100 million for the construction of the Clifton Fish Aquarium; Rs80 million for the citizen complaint and information system; Rs80 million for the construction of Gutter Baghicha park; Rs60 million for urban search and rescue; Rs50 million for the purchase of generators for hospitals; Rs40 million for the construction of a Kite Park; Rs40 million for the construction of subway at Rafah-i-Aam Society, Malir; Rs40 million for wireless video and surveillance system; Rs60 million for cleaning and de-silting of storm water drains.

Receipts estimated at over Rs9 billion

The city government would get Rs9.403 billion from the provincial government's grant or other releases while its revenue target is Rs8.738 billion. The city government would get Rs2.521 billion revenue from the municipal services department while the dues against the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation are estimated at Rs1.983 billion.

The transfer of income from the Karachi Building Control Authority, which is no longer a part of the city government, is estimated at Rs1 billion.

A sum of Rs11.396 billion would come from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. The revenue to be generated from the master plan department is estimated at Rs2.409 billion.