LAHORE, Aug 27: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has allowed the Lahore Development Authority to retain its administrative structure but transferred its administrative and financial control to the City District Government.

LDA Director-General Muhammad Ismail Qureshi disclosed this while speaking at a meeting of the officers of the authority held in connection with the promotions of the private secretaries and stenographers here on Tuesday. He said that not only the administrative structure of the authority would remain intact but its functions and responsibilities would also remain unchanged.

He said that the District Nazim had been made chairman of the authority in place of the chief minister/governor whereas the six Town Nazimeen and the District Coordination Officer had been nominated on its governing body under the devolution plan. The DG and the heads of the LDA agencies and representatives of the Provincial Planning and Development, Finance, Housing and Local Government Departments were also represented on the governing body.

He said that the LDA budget would be approved by the Lahore District Council in future. It would, however, be considered approved as proposed in case the council did not approve it within 30 days of being submitted for approval. He said that the decision of the governor had ended uncertainty about the future of the authority.

He called upon the officers to make concerted efforts to redress the grievances of the people in respect of estate management and land development to restore their confidence on the authority. He said that the officers should remember that the authority could survive only by winning the confidence of the people.

He called upon the officers to make preparations for implementing new development projects like the construction of the Lahore Ring Road, EXPO Centre and Light Rail Transit Project besides the development of new housing schemes for the government employees and low-income groups, construction of new roads in Southern Lahore and projects for improvements in water supply, sewerage and drainage facilities.