TMA indebted to Hesco despite viable budget

SUKKUR: The taluka municipal administration may be pressed for money, despite presenting a viable budget for the current fiscal year, as it has allocated only Rs31.6 million to Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (Hesco) whereas it owes a total sum of Rs197.8 million to the company in outstanding dues.

According to the summary of the 2010-2011 budget, presented by the newly-appointed administrator, Riaz Ahmed Rajput, the total expected income for the year will be Rs415.8 million while the total expenditure amounts to Rs415.4 million.

Rajput said that the income earned from taxes is expected to be Rs410.8 million, while grants from the federal and provincial governments will amount to Rs13.9 million.

Similarly, administrative expenses will amount to Rs238.9 million while non-development works will cost Rs105.1 million. Development expenditures through grants will cost Rs35.5 million and the administration-funded development schemes will need Rs36.2 million in expenses.

The taluka municipal administration has allocated Rs42.8 million for the salaries of its staff after the federal and provincial governments increased the salaries of their employees by 50 per cent and pensions by 15 to 20 per cent, said Rajput.