RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has directed the district administration and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to submit within a week details of funds which would be surrendered by March 31 due to non-completion of development schemes.

The government has set the deadline of March 31 for the completion of development works in the province and asked the district administrations to submit the details of schemes which would not be completed by the stipulated time.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that the development works in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum were launched with the start of the current fiscal year but due to some problems the pace could not pick momentum.

“Due to the expected delimitation, the ruling party leaders are paying attention only on those areas which would remain unchanged. The union councils which are expected to be included in other constituencies were ignored for new projects.”

He said changes would be made in four constituencies of Rawalpindi and the local leaders were reluctant to identify schemes for over 10 union councils.

Major changes would be made in NA-52 rural-cum-urban areas, the traditional constituency of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. “Though many development works were launched in the area, the future of six union councils along Islamabad Expressway is still uncertain,” he said.

The district administration is preparing a report on the development projects which could not be launched.

On the other hand, the RDA has prepared a list of schemes included in the annual development programme whose funds are to be given back to the government.

“The RDA will surrender Rs150 million against two schemes which could not be launched,” said a senior official of the RDA.

He said Ammar Chowk redesigning project was not being launched and its Rs129 million funds would be surrendered within a week. Though the project was approved by the planning commission, the executing agency was still negotiating with the consultants for its first phase. The RDA has no option but to return the funds as these cannot be utilised by Mar 31.

“The government had released Rs10 million for the initial phase of the I.J. Principal Road flyover to connect Double Road with 9th Avenue but now we have to surrender the amount,” he added.

The official said the RDA would not consume funds set released for Liaquat Bagh and Marrir Chowk flyovers to make them signal free.

The government provided Rs50 million for the feasibility study and hiring of a consultancy firm. “The feasibility study is completed but it will take over three months to start the project.”

The local leadership did not want to start the project before the elections as it would create traffic issues due to digging of the Murree Road, he said.

When contacted, RDA Chief Engineer Ather Hussain Bukhari confirmed that details of the funds to be surrendered were being prepared.

He said two to three projects were included in the list. However, he said the government had approved the projects in the middle of the current fiscal year and it would be difficult to consume the funds within a month.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2018