RAWALPINDI: The governor body of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Saturday approved the annual budgets of the RDA and Wasa for the fiscal year 2021-22.

However, RDA failed to devise a plan to enhance its income and will be relying on financial help from the Punjab government for development work.

The governing body held a meeting with RDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood Murtaza in the chair. RDA Director General Nadeem Abro presented the budget worth Rs2.379 billion which was approved.

The Punjab government will provide Rs1.984 billion for development schemes in the garrison city under its annual development programme (ADP). However, the civic agency will not spend a single penny on the schemes from its own sources.

The RDA generated Rs559 million against the target of Rs295 million in the fiscal year 2020-21. The revenue collected as building plan and violation fees will be spent on salaries and office expenditures. The civic body increased its expenditure despite government’s direction for austerity measures.

A senior official of the RDA said for the fiscal year 2021-22, the revenue target had been set at Rs433.325 million that would be spent on payment of salaries to staff.

He said Rs395.001 million had been allocated for non-development expenditures/expenses which included pension, salaries, electricity, telephone bills and fuel etc.

According to the ADP, the RDA will launch work on two underpasses at Defence Chowk in front of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase-I and Katchery Chowk.

The government has allocated Rs300 million each for the two underpasses. However, the total cost of the underpass at DHA Phase-I is estimated at Rs2.2 billion and the one at Katchery Chowk at Rs3.6 billion.

An amount of Rs50 million will be released for widening and improvement of Dry Port Road from Rahimabad to Shell Depot and Rs69 million for three pedestrian bridges on the Airport Road.

Wasa’s budget

The governing body also approved Wasa’s Rs2.9 billion budget which was presented by its managing director Raja Shaukat Mehmood.

Wasa generated Rs1.151 billion against the target of Rs862.8 million in the fiscal year 2020-21 and set a target of Rs1.185 billion for 2021-22. The expenditure was estimated at Rs3.182 billion.

Punjab government will release Rs1.06 billion for different schemes of Wasa.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2021