Rs5b budget for Peshawar presented

The Capital Metropolitan Government Peshawar on Thursday presented a tax-free budget of over Rs5.014 billion and an additional Rs30 million for the fiscal year 2023-24.

In the budget, the expenditure has been estimated at Rs5.010 billion while the income at Rs4.023 billion.

In the Peshawar budget, schemes for women’s parks, traffic system improvement, and laptops for teachers have been included.

Besides, funds for women’s sewing machines, youth, farmers and minority members have been earmarked separately. The budget was presented by Peshawar Mayor Haji Zubair Ali at the city’s District Council Hall during a session presided over by Malik Tariq Javed.

According to the budget documents, the revenue from the expected sources has been estimated at Rs4.023 billion.

Of this amount, Rs640 million from the Provincial Finance Commission, Rs500 million from the Urban Immovable Property (UIP) tax, Rs30 million from octroi, Rs1 billion in the form of balances, Rs470 million in property tax, Rs40 million in the form of maps, Rs520 million in terms of bases and Rs160 million from shops and plazas have been calculated.

According to the Peshawar mayor, the income was estimated at Rs3.026 billion in the budget for FY 2022-23 but because of the policy of the provincial government, more than Rs1 billion could not be received.

A sum of Rs40 million has been allocated for the city’s public parks and gardens in the budget and Rs50 million for the improvement of schools and colleges.

An amount of Rs100 million has been reserved for funeral homes and Eidgahs, Rs130 million for solarisation, and Rs20 million for disabled people. The budget also includes a sum of Rs350 million for the poor, Rs7 million for sports, Rs100 million for a public library, Rs20 million for the education of disabled children, Rs60 million for dealing with natural calamities and Rs10 million for eight funeral vehicles.

A sum of Rs60 million has been earmarked for the renovation of bases, Rs5 million for Asiya Pari marriage hall, Rs300 million for the welfare of employees, Rs40 million for the residential land of workers and Rs50 million for a municipal inter college.

An amount of Rs20 million has been allocated for clean water supply, Rs20 million for municipal missionaries, Rs20 million for women welfare, Rs50 million for the city’s traffic system, Rs10 million for the minority community and Rs360 million for the improvement of roads.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2023.