Zila Parishad presents Rs202 -cr budget

Bathinda, March 30

The Bathinda Zila Parishad today convened a meeting to present the budget for the financial year 2017-18.

It was done under the guidance of Zila Paishad chairperson Gurpreet Singh Maluka and ADC (D) Shena Aggarwal at the new building of the Zila Parishad.

This is the first budget of the Zila Parishad, headed by the son of former SAD minister Sikander Singh Maluka, after the Congress formed the government in the state.

The Zila Parishad presented a profitable budget listing Rs 202.37 crore income and Rs 202.24 crore expenditure.

Maluka said the highest amount — Rs 178 crore — had been kept aside for MNREGA and the rest for other works.

He said during the meeting, the proposal to vacate Chhabra Palace was also passed.

Maluka added that the help of the court would be sought to seek vacation of the palace and the lease for the palace would be up for auction again.

It was also discussed that the shops located inside the new Zila Parishad building would also be rented out and the income would be used for developmental works.

A plan to regularise the jobs of employees working on contractual basis and recruitment of employees as per manpower demands was also brought up during the meeting.

As per the budget, attention will be paid to availability of medicines at dispensaries located in villages and plantation of saplings on village land. Budgets by block samitis of Bathinda, Goniana, Sangat, Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Phul, Bhagta Bhaika, Rampura and Nathana were also presented. — TNS