PHOTO: FILE
Meanwhile, Rs21.034 billion have been earmarked for the administration of public order (including rescue and emergency services) in the annual budget.
Last year, Rs113.415 billion, Rs8.717 billion and Rs15.679 billion were allocated under these heads, respectively. Punjab government claims that the coming fiscal year’s allocations are an increase of 3.2% over FY2018-19.
In the budget, Rs100 million have been allocated for the computerisation of all police stations in the second phase. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs309.542 million. At least Rs175 million will be spent on the installation of surveillance cameras at the entry and exit points of Lahore, while Rs1 billion are being allocated for the Punjab Police Intergrated Command and Control Center (PPIC3) in Dera Ghazi Khan. The total estimated cost of the PPIC-3 is Rs3.045 billion.
Focus on south Punjab in Rs2.36 trillion budget
In the next fiscal year, Rs29 million rupees will be spent to complete the prison management information system (PMIS) in the remaining jails and offices of Punjab under the third phase of this programme.
A total of Rs6 billion, at a breakup of Rs1 billion each, are being spent on the construction of PPIC3s in Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and Bahawalpur on a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The total cost of all these projects amounts to Rs44.716 billion. In the budget, Rs1 billion have been specified for the unified driving licence, car ownership and traffic ticketing system on a PPP basis.
At least Rs679 million will be spent for the construction of a police training school in DG Khan, while Rs1 million has been set aside for the construction of a police post on Gazan Road in Johar Town, Lahore. Meanwhile, an estimated Rs10 million have been earmarked for the construction of five residences of BS-18 and BS-19 officers in Lahore.
In the coming fiscal year, Rs800 million rupees have been allocated for the Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 as compared to Rs1.4 billion last year. At least Rs666.136 million rupees will be spent on completing 17 ongoing schemes and Rs133 will be used for seven new schemes.
The new schemes include the establishment of Rescue 1122 services in Barthi and Fazal Katch areas of Taunsa tehsil, a Rescue station at Dijkot in Faisalabad and a Rescue 1122 station in Zahir Pir area of Khanpur tehsil in Rahim Yar Khan district.
The other fresh initiatives include the construction of a boundary wall and security post for rescue lines in Faisalabad and the upgrading of existing rescue stations in Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2019.
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