Command and control centres get lion’s share of public order allocation

Last year, a total of 145.5 billion rupees were allocated for Public Order and Safety Affairs.


Muhammad Shahzad June 03, 2017
PHOTO: EXPRESS

LAHORE: A lion’s share, or Rs45 billion, which is 23 % of the total Rs198 billion budget allocated for public order and safety affairs, will be spent on the establishment of Punjab police integrated command, control and communication centres in six major cities including Rawalpindi, Gujranawala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sargodha and Faisalabad.

This is the largest provision for an ongoing scheme in the allocation for the Police Department in FY2017-2018.

Last year, a total of 145.5 billion rupees were allocated for Public Order and Safety Affairs.

This year, the total allocation for the Police Department is Rs 91.105 billions as compared to Rs89.552 billion during 2016-17.  Last year, Rs3.82 billion was allocated for spending on the development budget. This year, the development budget has been increased to Rs6.15 billion, that is a 61% increase when compared to last year.

The government earlier decided to announce separate budget allocations for the Counter Terrorism Department, but this was not done.

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Rs1.01 billion has been allocated for 69 new schemes and Rs5.1 billion was set aside for 174 ongoing schemes of the police department. This includes completion of 88 police stations with full funding, 34 new police stations at a cost of Rs2.18 billion, 20 new schemes for the Counter Terrorism Department at Rs1 billion, 10 schemes for Dolphin Force Lines Centers at Rs658 million and construction/improvement of six police schools/training centers which were allocated Rs582 million.

For prison administration and operations, Rs84.13 billion has been allocated for FY2017-18. Out of the total budget, Rs1.832 billion has been specified for the development budget under this head. Last year, 10.06 billion rupees were allocated for the purpose.

During the current financial year, Rs20 million have been allocated for two new schemes and Rs1.6 billion for 20 ongoing schemes.  Major Development projects for 2017-18 included construction of courts, along with allied facilities, for judicial officers in Punjab with an amount of Rs417 millions, construction of residences of judicial officers in Punjab with an amount of Rs. 350 million, nine jails at a cost of Rs275.536 million and conversion of 45 judicial lock ups into sub jails of Punjab at Rs. 100 million. Also, water filtration plants will be installed at all of Punjab’s jails at a cost of Rs70 million, while the Punjab Prisons Staff Training College Sahiwal will be built for an amount of Rs289 million.

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A total of Rs9.25 billion have been allocated for administration of Public Order (including rescue and emergency Services). Last year, Rs14.052 billion were allocated under this head. The development budget allocation for Fy017-18 is Rs2.20 billion rupees and Rs 70 million will be spent on new schemes and Rs2.13 billion on ongoing schemes.

New initiatives included construction of parking sheds for snorkels in Lahore, while there will be new rescue stations in the Ellahabad and Khudian areas of Kasur. Similar facilities will be established in the Nokhar area of Gujrwanwala and Bucheki in Nankana Sahib.

Targets for 2017-18 include capacity building to manage emergencies in high rise buildings of Lahore, a rescue station at Maraka and Rescue Services 1122 in the Khokhran area of Multan, and other areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2017.

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