No COVID-19 testing of Council members before KMC budget session

KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has summoned its budget session for fiscal year 2020-21 on Monday (tomorrow), ARY News reported.

KMC is all set to present its Rs24.84 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2020-21 at the Council Hall of the Old KMC Building.

A matter of the concern for the KMC budget is a congested Council Room, which has to accomodate 309 council members without conducting the coronavirus test.

“Most of the members are concerned over absence of coronavirus testing before the budget,” sources said. “The council room have no much space to maintain social distancing, which could lead to spread of COVID-19 during the session,” sources said.

Mayor Waseem Akhtar is saying the KMC have no funds to conduct coronavirus diagnosis test of its council members. “The KMC is facing financial crisis and it hardly pays salaries of employees and outstanding payments,” the mayor said.

“Octrai Zila Tax (OZT) share of the KMC has been suspended, which has made difficult to make the budget,” Mayor lamented. “I have tired to brief federal as well as the provincial governments about problems but to no avail,” Mayor Akhtar said.

He said ten percent raise in salaries for employees also included in the KMC annual budget, which will be tabled in the council session on June 29.

“Regretfully the Government of Sindh didn’t approve any development scheme sent from the KMC,” he added.