RAWALPINDI: The annual budget of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) for fiscal year 2015-16 worth Rs2.7 billion was sent to the regional director of military lands and cantonment for final approval.

However, despite the passage of two months since the cantonment elections held on April 25, the 10 elected members of the cantonment board are yet to take oath for office.

RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Fahim Zafar Khan told Dawn that the RCB had not imposed any new taxes or increased water tariffs in the new fiscal 2015-16 and planned to expand the tax net by improving instead.

“The RCB allocated Rs660 million for development projects in various areas of the cantonment and there will be a special focus on low income group which were neglected in the past,” he said.

According to the estimates, the total outlay of the budget was Rs2.750 billion and this year, Rs662 million will be set aside for development schemes. The RCB will spend Rs854 million on salaries of employees and Rs520 million will spent on contingency and utility bills.

Total receipts are expected to stand at Rs2.579 billion with an opening balance of Rs170.930 million.

“More than Rs1229 million was set as a target to recover taxes on property and other heads. During the last fiscal year, we recovered Rs1022 million under this head,” Mr Khan said.

The officer said that the civic body recovered Rs516 million as property rent last year and during the next fiscal year the target is set for Rs599 million. The civic body generated more funds, he said, through collection of taxes and fees.

According to the development plan, the RCB has allocated Rs128.244 million for the construction of roads, Rs128 million for the construction of buildings including record rooms for the civic body and Rs20 million for the improvement of 100 years old Mutton Market at Kamran Market and Rs50 million for the ongoing renovation projects.

In response to a question about consultations with elected members of the cantonment board, the RCB Cantonment Executive Officer said that the elected members will take oath for office soon. Under the law, he said, it was mandatory to present the annual budget before the end of the fiscal year. “The elected members of the board may make amendments in the development sector once they take oath,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2015

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