RAWALPINDI, Jan 20: For the first time after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) formed the Punjab government in 2008, its legislators from Rawalpindi district will get Rs532 million in funds for development.

The PML-N lawmakers in Rawalpindi have not been given annual grants by the Punjab government because of financial crisis and the devastating floods last year.

The party's six MNAs and 13 MPAs representing Rawalpindi district will get Rs28 million each through the district administration. The money will be spent on the schemes identified by the lawmakers.

“We will get funds this month,” Executive District Officer (EDO-Finance) Saqib Manan told Dawn on Thursday. “In the past three years, we have not received any such grant, though funds are given annually,” he added.

Due to financial constraints, many ongoing development projects in the district have been halted.

As the monthly and quarterly release of funds by the provincial government stopped, contractors also stopped working.

According to Mr Manan, a significant part of the fund would be spent on upgrading and maintaining schools' infrastructure by building rooms and purchasing furniture. He said more than 80 schools in the district would benefit from the fund.

Currently no mega project except the construction of Institute of Cardiology is taking place in the city. The multi-billion projects proposed in the days of PML-Q in the district, including Sheikh Rashid Expressway Project (Rs20 billion), Rawalpindi Environmental Improvement Project (REIP) (Rs5.12 billion), installation of Sewage Treatment Plant (Rs3 billion) and others have been shelved.

Almost all the government contractors in Rawalpindi have wound up work on various projects due to the Punjab government's failure to pay their arrears. “We have never seen such bad days in Rawalpindi. We are doing nothing but rest for the last three yeras,” Abdul Hafeez Chaudhry, chairman Government Welfare Contractors Association, Rawalpindi region, told Dawn . “Even the projects for government employees are facing uncertain future.”

PML-N MPAs Sheharyar Riaz and Ziaullah Shah claimed that the grants would change the look of Rawalpindi district, adding that the entire amount would be spent on public welfare projects. “We have surveyed the city for identifying places which deserve attention.

The grants would give new look to Rawalpindi after initiating development activities,” Mr Shah said.