The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has approved a budget of Rs 25,982.414 million for the next financial year 2021-22 with a surplus of Rs. 11.947 million as the expenditures are estimated at about Rs. 25,970.467 million.
Administrator Karachi Laeeq Ahmed on Tuesday approved the budget using the powers of the city council under the notification of the Sindh government. No new tax has been imposed in the budget.
Metropolitan Commissioner Danish Saeed, Finance Advisor Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, Senior Director Coordination Khalid Khan, Senior Director Finance and Accounts Rashid Nizam, Director Budget Nasir Mahmood, Director Welfare Mahmood Baig, Director Planning Afaq Mirza and other officials were also present on the occasion.
Approving the budget, the Administrator Karachi said that for the next financial year, priority was given to those development schemes which are in the public interest.
“Non-development schemes are kept to a minimum, new and ongoing projects of roads, gardens, playgrounds and sports complexes have been added to improve the infrastructure of Karachi,” he addedAhmed said that the to facilitate the citizens under the Annual Development Program, 200 schemes started during the last financial year will be expedited and completed next year.
“The KMC budget for the next financial year will be balanced and will lead to the development and improvement of the city and through it the process of improving the infrastructure in the city will continue,” the Administrator hoped.
He said the focus would be on achieving the projected revenue targets during the financial year 2021-22 and keeping non-development expenditure to a minimum while focusing on development works.
Ahmed said that with the onset of the monsoon season, priority will be given to the schemes which are expected to provide relief to the citizens this season.
The process of cleaning the storm drains is underway and will continue in the future as well.
He said the focus would be on achieving the projected revenue targets during the financial year 2021-22 and keeping non-development expenditure to a minimum while focusing on development works.
“Funds have been allocated to different departments according to their responsibilities, most of which are allocated to the Department of Medical and Health to provide better and quality treatment to the citizens,” he said.
The Administrator said that in order to provide recreational facilities, all important places of Karachi including Zoo, Hill Park, Kidney Hill Park, Bagh e Ibn Qasim will be improved while a total of 45 parks of KMC be developed.
Fire brigade will also be equipped with the necessary equipment.The largest source of revenue in the KMC budget is the OZT share and grant-in-Aid of Rs. 15.07 billion from Sindh government while the District ADP is expected to collect more than Rs. 5 billion.
In the budget of the next financial year a total of Rs. 2,451.803 million has been allocated for development works besides allocation of funds for district ADP.
The estimated collection from the revenue departments of KMC is Rs. 1.70 billion and the estimated collection from the MUCT department is Rs. 1.00 billion.
Outstanding dues of Rs 1.85 billion on K Electric and Rs 100 million on KPT are shown in the budget.Similarly, in terms of expected revenue during the next financial year, Rs. 1.53 billion from World Bank Funded Project Click, Rs. 184.7 million from Culture, Sports and Recreation; and Rs. 261.5 million from Transport and Communication.
Rs 222.9 million from veterinary services; Rs 201 million from municipal services, Rs 100 million in terms of income transfer from SBCA,Rs 95 million from Engineering Department, Rs 81.4 million from Medical and Health Services; Rs 35.78 million from Parks and Horticulture; Rs 15.62 million from Enterprise and Investment Promotion; Rs 1 million from Secretariat and Rs 0.100 million from Information Technology was expected to be generated.
The largest expenditure of over Rs.5 billion has been allocated for the Department of Medical and Health Services, while the expenditure under District ADP is estimated at Rs.5.00 billion and Rs.4.90 billion was shown in the budget details for debit servicing, transfer funds for pension and other miscellaneous expenses.
Likewise, Rs 3.38 billion was allocated for municipal, Rs 1.53 billion for Click World Bank funded project, Rs 1.263 million for revenue departments including land, estate, ZOT enforcement, Katchi Abadi, PD Orangi and charged parking, Rs 1.19 billion for engineering; Rs 1.03 billion for parks and horticulture; Rs 852 million for Secretariat; Rs 843.3 million for Culture, Sports and Recreation; Rs 345.4 million for Finance, Accounts and MUCT; Rs 164.926 million for Law Department; Rs 88.6 million for Enterprise and Investment Promotion; Rs 71.2 million for Transport and Communication; and Rs. 62 million has been earmarked for the Information Technology Department.
The development projects for which funds have been allocated during the next financial year included Rs. 800 million for construction of road from Machli Chowk to KANUPP road, Rs. 300 million for rehabilitation and development of Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani Road; Rs. 120 million for cleanliness of drains; Rs 100 million for repair of extension joints of all bridges; Rs 100 million for supply and installation of drainage sewerage lines at Zulfiqarabad Oil Tankers Terminal; Rs 81 million for renovation and repair of hippodrome; Rs 80 million for improvement of fish aquarium; Rs 80 million for development and repair of roads, sidewalks and bridges; Rs 70 million for Shahab ud din Market adjacent to Empress Market; Rs. 68 million for purchase of ventilators in KMC hospitals; Rs 60 million for installation and repair of street lights on Mai Kolachi Road; Rs 50 million for roadside tree plantation; Rs 50 million for purchase of animals and birds in Karachi Zoo and Safari Park; Rs 49 million for purchase of medical, electrical and other equipment in KMC hospitals; Rs. 40 million for development and improvement of Safari Park and Zoo; and Rs. 15 million for construction of Badminton Park in Aga Khan Park.
