HYDERABAD, March 7: The DCO has said the lapsed development funds of Rs241 million have been restored and will be released to the district government by the end of this month.

Speaking at a meeting on development works of the city and Qasimabad talukas here on Saturday, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed said works suspended due to lapse of these funds would soon be resumed.

He said the preparation of city development plan, Vision-2025, was in progress under the development package announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He added the plan aimed at solving drainage, water supply and communication problems of the district.

Mr Syed said efficient consultants were hired and a comprehensive survey was to be conducted to prepare an integrated development programme in which drainage would be the first priority.

The DCO said out of 71 development schemes taken into hand in the city taluka at the cost of Rs65.65 million, 11 had been completed while work was in full swing on 60 schemes.

Similarly, he said, out of 32 development schemes initiated at the cost of Rs22.0788 million, 10 had been completed in Qasimabad taluka while work was in progress on 22 remaining ones.

He said the development progress in the city was 76 per cent while in Qasimabad taluka it was 50 per cent. He admitted some drainage problems had affected the progress in Qasimabad but added remaining works in both the talukas would be completed by the end of current financial year.

He said in Hyderabad district out of 259 on-going development schemes of the ADP 2003-4, 51 had been completed while work on 208 schemes was in progress. He said out of Rs211.517 million released against the schemes, Rs142.6909 million so far had been utilized while the work progress was 70 per cent.

Responding to a question raised by a union council Nazim, Manthar Jatoi, the DCO said the contract for the reconstruction of abandoned National Highway from the Hyderabad bypass to the Hotel City Gate had been awarded and work would be started very soon.

He said the dual carriageway of Wadho Wah from the Hyderabad bypass to the Shahbaz Chowk would also be reconstructed under the joint venture of the National Rural Support Programme, district government and a private party at the cost of Rs50 million. Responding to a complaint, the DCO ordered an investigation into substandard work in City UC-7.