Daily Times

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) unveiled on Tuesday a surplus budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 amidst the protest of opposition parties.

Unveiling a budget with an outlay of Rs27,170.97 million, the council was told that as much as Rs9.63 million were saved this year.

Mayor Wasim Akhtar said that more funds had been allocated on development projects this time. “No new tax has been imposed,” he said, adding that almost 194 schemes will be completed with an amount of Rs5,61.59.

In the current fiscal year, the KMC attained Rs4,168.69 million for medical and health services, Rs3,192.18 million for the municipal department and Rs966.352 for the parks and horticulture department.

Addressing the council, the mayor said the administration had completed six different schemes in the city. “Several roads in different areas of Gulberg have been constructed,” he said adding that the road from Jail Chowrangi till Hassan Square had been constructed.

The mayor informed the council that in district central’s Nazimabad, several roads had been carpeted.

Akhtar also promised to construct at least two graveyards in each district. He added that a model graveyard would be constructed in Surjani Town. “We are also working to construct new fire brigade stations,” he informed the council,

However, the opposition tore copies of the budget and roared, “the mayor is a thief.” Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) parliamentary leader in KMC council Junaid Mukati claimed that the amount allocated in previous budget was never spent on the city. “The current budget will also land in corrupt hands,” he claimed.

Published in Daily Times, June 27^th 2018.