On the cards: Women members can spend 70% of allocated ADP funds

Budget yet to be prepared even though it should have been announced earlier

PESHAWAR: Female members will now be allowed to spend around 70% of the 5% of allocated funds for women development sector in the district’s Annual Development Programme (ADP). This has been done to address the grievances of the female members of the district council over funds allocated towards the sector.

City naib nazim Syed Qasim Ali Shah told The Express Tribune new rules about the power of the naib nazim have been defined in the amended local government act by the provincial government.



“Under the new rules, the naib nazim would be the custodian of the district council and he can now convene sessions,” he said.

Allocations

He added the district council was expected to unveil a budget with total outlay of around Rs10 billion. Out of this, Rs8.5 billion would be earmarked for current expenditure while around Rs1.5 billion would be allocated for the district’s ADP.

According to the new recommendations approved by the chief minister, 20% of the district development budget will go the education sector, 10% will be spent on health and 15% will be allocated for women’s development.

Scheme proposals

Shah said, “Female members have been asked to submit scheme proposals about women’s development in their respective constituencies to the relevant authorities so they can be reviewed properly.”

In addition, women members will be given between 40% and 45% of the general development funds provided to the elected male representatives of the district council.

The naib nazim said the district council will pass three budgets in the session – the current budget, budget for district annual development program and the budget for local funds.

He added 10% of the revenue provincial government is generated from the city district will be given back to the city district. This amounts to approximately Rs230 million.



Shah said, “The city naib nazim has been authorised to spend 10% of the total funds generated from properties including bus stands, shops rented by city district and any other entity owned by the city district administration.”

He added, “A large amount of the budget will be allocated to the district disaster management authority.”

The city district administration has yet to prepare their budget which violates the rules of the local government. According to local government act’s Subsection 4(34), the city district administration before the beginning of the new financial year should prepare the budget.  Nazims will present it in their respective councils for approval.

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