RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Tuesday finalised its budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 worth Rs2.3 billion with a maximum chunk of it to be utilised for development works.
Funds for all the development schemes will be provided by the Punjab government and the civic body will spend its income on payment of salaries and other expenditures.
No new tax has been imposed as the RDA had already increased building plan fee for residential, commercial and industrial plots and apartments by 50pc. The increase was implemented from March 2021.
The budget proposals were finalised by the finance subcommittee, comprising the Finance Department, Planning and Development Department, Housing Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department at a meeting with RDA Director General Nadeem Abro in the chair.
The meeting was informed that the total outlay of the budget for 2021-22 was Rs2.379 billion. A major portion of it - Rs1.98 billion - has been allocated for the ongoing and new development schemes.
A senior official told Dawn that RDA’s all projects had been included in the Punjab annual development programme (ADP) and the provincial government would release funds for the projects in September. He said the budget would be presented in the governing body meeting in a week or two and then it would be approved.
The ongoing development schemes included construction/widening and improvement of the Dry Port Road from Rahimabad Flyover to Shell Depot at Chaklala Railway Station at an estimated cost of Rs50 million and construction of three pedestrian bridges on Airport Road costing Rs69 million.
The new development schemes included land acquisition for construction of Leh Expressway and Flood Channel worth Rs20 million, remodeling of Kutchery Chowk (Rs300 million), remodeling of Defence Chowk (Rs300 million), establishment of Project Management Unit for Leh Nullah Expressway Project and Urban Regeneration Plan.
According to the budget figures, RDA has set a target of generating Rs433.325 million from building plans and fees to be imposed on violations.
The official said the RDA had achieved the recovery target for the fiscal year 2020-21. He said Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering and Land Use and Building Control wings had collected Rs491 million against their target of Rs335 million for the outgoing fiscal year.
He said citizens had submitted a total of 1,435 building plans for approval which was a record in the history of the RDA. Besides actions against illegal housing schemes and illegal constructions which were taken in this fiscal year.
He said fines had also been imposed on the violators and FIRs registered against illegal housing schemes and constructions, including homes and commercial markets.
He said Rs395.001 million had been allocated for non-development expenditures, including salaries, pension, electricity, telephones, repair, maintenance and fuel.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2021
