RAWALPINDI: The Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) on Thursday approved a Rs2.117 billion budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 with a major chunk of development funds - Rs550 million - set aside for the proposed Raheel Sharif Medical and Dental College and Rs86m for development schemes in the 10 wards.

This was the last budget session of the 11 elected members belonging to the PML-N as their tenure is going to end in December. The budget session was held with Station Commander Brig Shahzad Tanveer in the chair and attended by 12 elected members led by CCB Vice President Raja Irfan Imtiaz.

An equal number of members nominated by the military and civilian bureaucracy were also present.

Rs86m of total Rs2.117bn budget for fiscal year 2019-20 will be spent on development schemes in 10 wards

Cantonment officials presented the budget and the board approved it without any objection. The budget would now be forwarded to Military Lands and Cantonment Department’s regional director for final approval.

Out of the total outlay of Rs2.117bn, Rs86m would go to development schemes, including sewerage, roads and water supply, while Rs524m would be spent on expenditures such as salaries.

The civic body estimated total receipts from property taxes at Rs663m, Rs150m from Octroi, Rs353m from transfer of immoveable property tax, grants, contributions and security deposit Rs222m, extraordinary and debit Rs737m and opening balance of Rs6m.

An amount of Rs86m was allocated for new schemes. The CCB said Rs111m allocated for development in 2018-19 was not spent and it would be utilised next year.

The elected members raised the issue of leakages from Bokra water storage. The meeting was also informed that water level in Khanpur Dam had increased but the cantonment areas were not getting sufficient water.

“The water storage in Bokra water works is 21 feet which is five feet more than last year but there is no water in the CCB as it falls in the tail-end of the supply system,” Irfan Imtiaz told Dawn.

He said the elected members sought an increase in the water supply to the cantonment areas as the residents were facing an acute shortage. He said the station commander had been requested to play his role to end the water shortage.

In reply to a question about less allocation for development schemes, Mr Imtiaz said the CCB would spend Rs186m on new projects of roads, streets and water supply lines. He said Rs111m, which had not been spent during fiscal 2018-19, were also available.

For the construction of the medical and dental college near Ayub Park, the board approved Rs550m. Land has already been allocated for the college and the construction would start in the new fiscal year.

“The civic agency has been working on the project of Raheel Sharif Medical and Dental College for two years and this year we want to start the work.”

He said elected members had been asked to present their proposals for development schemes.

“Elected members are working on a plan to improve income sources of the civic body so that the residents would be provided maximum facilities. The plan will be presented to the board in its next session,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2019