ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) will seek over Rs10 billion in funding from the federal government for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Newly appointed IMC chief officer Asad Mehboob Kiani, who joined the corporation on Friday, said: “We will seek around Rs10 to Rs12 billion for the non-development and development budget for ongoing schemes, which will be transferred from the CDA and ICT.”

He said the federal government would be asked for a separate budget at a later stage for new mega-schemes.

The services of former Capital Development Authority (CDA) director general, Mr Kiani, were handed over to the IMC on the request of Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz. The CDA notified his new office, while the federal government will issue its notification in the coming days after the IMC’s notification.

Mr Kiani has three decades of experience in the engineering and civic management sectors. According to the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, the chief officer will be the corporation’s principal accounting officer, and will ensure coordination between the metropolitan corporation and union councils.

The act reads: “The chief officer shall be responsible for ensuring adherence by [the metropolitan corporation] to all laws, policies and oversight framework of the government in prescribed manner.”

Recently, the mayor made statements in the media claiming that the IMC’s notification has been issued, which it has not been so far.

However, sources in the CDA and the mayor’s office have called the appointment a major breakthrough and said they are expecting a notification to be issued by the IMC in the next few days.

Speaking to Dawn, the new chief officer said he has a vision of providing all the citizens of the federal capital with a decent life.

“We will focus on community participatory government. There will be zero bureaucracy, and we will be working for the people’s welfare,” Mr Kiani said.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016

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