Rawalpindi gets development package of Rs1.5b

MPAs requested to present schemes worth Rs100m for their respective constituencies

RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has announced a development package of Rs1.5 billion for Rawalpindi. Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed all 15 MPAs of PTI from Rawalpindi to present development schemes of Rs100 million each for their constituencies.

Punjab government has offered this package to Pakistan Tahreek-e-Ifsaf MPAs across the province and also the allies of the ruling party.

After approval, work on the schemes will commence from December. The MPAs have been asked to prepare proposals for development schemes such as link roads, water supply and sewerage systems projects, streets, drains, boundaries for schools and spaces for funeral prayers.

As per the package, the MPAs will only finalise the schemes. The development work on the schemes will be made under supervision of the district administration.



Local govt

According to sources, the chairmen of the district councils of the local government and the MPAs representing PTI in Punjab Assembly have not been able to formulate solid working relations with each other even after 70 days of the new government.

PTI MNA Wasiq Qayyum told Daily Express that a new local bodies system would soon be presented in the Punjab Assembly. After approval of the new system, all present district bodies would be dissolved. The development work will now be assumed by new district representatives, he said.

However, sources said Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and the provincial local government minister have yet to meet with district chairmen.

In addition, the heads of the local bodies of 36 districts of Punjab have also not been called up for any administrative meeting. The meetings for drives against dengue, measles and polio are being held in the absence of the district chairmen. The current district representatives, chairmen and mayors are not being called up in any meeting. Furthermore, the chairmen and mayors also did not welcome the CM on his visits to their districts.

The operations of district councils have practically come to a standstill throughout the province while the government has also stopped entertaining the development schemes of the districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2018.