Towards development: KMC unveils surplus budget of Rs26.7b

New budget is Rs103.5m more than previous year

KARACHI: With the announcement of 20 new development projects in the city the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) unveiled a characteristically surplus budget for the fiscal year, 2016-2017, with an outlay of Rs26.78 billion in a press statement released on Monday.

The upcoming year’s budget is Rs103.5 million more than the previous year’s. KMC administrator Laeeq Ahmed while exercising powers of KMC Council approved the budget.

In the receipts side, the current receipts were estimated at Rs14.48 billion and capital receipt at Rs1.84 billion along with Rs6.47 billion allocated in provincial and district Annual Development Programme (ADP).



The ADP projects also include allocation of Rs499million for upgradation of fire services for high rise buildings, Rs223.6 million for construction of flyover at Korangi Crossing, Rs205.4 million for construction of underpass at Golimar intersection at Nazimabad, which was also the part of the previous budget.

Similarly, the expenditure side showed the organisation’s expenditure of Rs7.42 billion, of which Rs0.27 million will be spent on repair and maintenance.



About Rs 6.25 billion were earmarked for development projects. Other allocations include Rs3.60 billion for medical and health service, Rs2.67 billion for municipal services and Rs0.8 for parks and horticulture.

Around Rs0.79 billion have been earmarked for expenditure of the secretariat, Rs0.76 billion for revenue department, Rs0.62 billion for culture, sports and recreation, Rs0.52 billion for transport and communication.

According to the press statement, the KMC expected Rs9.4 billion grants from the government in the next fiscal year.



Main projects

The main projects, which the KMC would be working on, include the construction of commercial and parking plaza at Shahabuddin Market Saddar (for which Rs350million have been allocated), about Rs350 million will be spent on improvement of roads, foot paths, bridges and special development projects, which will be completed at the cost of Rs300 million.

A sum of Rs250million each has been allocated for upgradation and construction of boundary wall around graveyards, development works at Orangi Cottage Industrial Area and improvement of roads.

The widening and improvement of main Hawke’s Bay road would be done at a cost of Rs150million and the rehabilitation of National Highway from Jinnah Terminal Flyover to Quaiabad Flyover would be carried out with an allocation of Rs125 million in the next budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2016.