RAWALPINDI, June 6: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) will present its budget for fiscal 2012-13 with total outlay of Rs2.366 billion for the approval before the special board on Thursday (today).

The special board meeting under the chairmanship of Station Commander Brig. Zaman Nasarullah Khan Niazi was convened to approve the budget. RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan will present the finance bill.

According to the budget documents made available with Dawn, the RCB will increase 10-30 per cent tax on domestic and commercial units respectively. However, there will be no increase in water charges.

The RCB officials said that the civic body wanted to increase property tax but it deferred the plan as the federal government did not want to enhance any tax ratio because 2012-13 would be the election year.

According to the budget figures, the RCB allocated record amount of Rs878 million for the uplift schemes. The civic body allocated Rs185 million for the repair and maintenance of its properties in different parts of the cantonment.

The RCB estimated total outlay at Rs2.366 billion. The total receipts during the next fiscal 2012-13 are expected to stand at Rs2.066 billion and the opening balance is Rs300 million.

For non-development expenditure, Rs1.030 billion has been allocated while Rs324 million has been earmarked for the pay and allowance of RCB staff including pension contribution and Rs430.650 million has been allocated for contingencies.

According to the document, the RCB expected to generate Rs924.500 million through collection of bills and taxes including Rs160 million from water charges, Rs65 million from hoarding charges, Rs210 million from Base Transceiver Station (BTS) towers fee, Rs15 million from auction of annual contracts for petrol and CNG stations, Rs75 million from development charges, Rs400 million from shop rents, Rs2 million from market tax and miscellaneous.

The civic body will also generate money from other sources including Rs6 million from realisation under special acts, Rs564.500 million derived from properties apart from taxation, Rs20 million from grants, contributions and security and Rs166.5 million from miscellaneous heads.

When contacted, RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan confirmed that the RCB would present budget on Thursday (today). He said that for the first time, the RCB would spend record Rs878 million for the uplift schemes.

He said that the RCB would also execute development projects from the funds of members of the parliament on their recommendations. The development schemes from RCB’s own recourses would be prepared for those areas which were neglected in the past, he said.

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