Of money and misery: Rs178m budget approved for Chitral tehsil

CHITRAL:

A budget of over Rs178 million was approved for Chitral tehsil counsil for the financial year 2015-16 in Chitral District Council Hall on Sunday. Nazim Maulana Muhammad Ilyas presented the budget at a session convened by Khan Hayatullah Khan.

Ilyas said Chitral faced many unfavourable circumstances this year. “On one hand, the district faced many natural calamities while on the other, the delay in rules of business of (local government) became a hurdle in resolving many issues,” he added.

Ilyas said people from areas of Chitral that do not fall within the urban vicinity, including Kalash Valley and Garam Shashma, are sidelined and neglected in the budget. He said people from these areas demand the allotted percentages in the budget be left open to meet everyone’s needs.

Moreover, youth councillors requested an increase in funds for sports and a few members also demanded an increase in the funds for disaster management and natural calamities. It was decided Rs114.2 million will be the development and Rs64.3 million the operational budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th,  2015.