CDA
In this regard, a 508 kanal area has been identified in Dhok Munshi area of Chaklala owned by Capital Development Authority (CDA). Revenue officials and Punjab Parliamentary Secretary Revenue Adnan Chaudhry had identified the land wedged between jurisdictions of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Subsequently, CDA gave possession of 508 kanals of its land in Dhok Munshi to Naya Pakistan Housing Authority (NPHA). Officials of NPHA said that PM Imran Khan will lay the foundation of the project at a public gathering in the area in October.
Officials said that the total area of the land concerned was 1,008 kanals on which ex-interior minister Chaudhry Nisar had announced to build a park, hospital, graveyard and stadium on 500 kanals while all announced projects except the hospital were completed during his tenure in the office.
The remaining area was left deserted which was identified by Adnan Chaudhry after which a high-level demarcation committee set to work.
According to NPHA officials, the working for houses in the area under Naya Pakistan Scheme has started while the parliamentary secretary was summoned by Prime Minister Secretariat where he received appreciation for his act. He was assured by the secretariat officials that construction process on related land will start in October.
Land recovery
In another development, PM Imran Khan has directed Rawalpindi Commissioner Saqib Zafar to recover all encroached government-owned land in Rawalpindi division.
Officials in commissioner office sharing details of the letter received from the PM Secretariat said the premier instructed the commissioner to submit a report within a month after conducting demarcation according to maps.
PM Imran further directed the commissioner and secretary revenue to utilise recovered land for public welfare projects.
When contacted by The Express Tribune, Adnan Chaudhry endorsed the instructions by the prime minister and said that the premier emphasised that widows and the poor should not be treated unfairly during the operation. He said as per directions of Premier Imran, they would also tighten the noose against the people involved in the illegal sale of public land and make recoveries from them.
Adnan added that a survey in this regard was in its final phase and until now, encroached land worth Rs10 billion has been identified which would be recovered at all costs.
Regarding the progress in operation, the parliamentary secretary said that encroached land of some 7,000 Kanals on Chakri Road and 1,000 Kanals in Koth Kalan had been recovered successfully. He added that a massive crackdown for this purpose will start from October.
MNAs, MPAs get UC projects
Punjab government has finally summoned proposals for long-delayed development schemes under Municipal Services Programme from national and provincial lawmakers which were stopped after the local body system was dissolved before time in May this year.
All schemes will now be completed under administrators who were running the affairs of municipal corporations on ad hoc basis
According to officials, the government has sought proposals for development schemes from each MNA and MPA worth Rs5 million and up to Rs3 million respectively in each Union Council (UC) in their respective constituencies.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took a U-turn on its pre-election promise of keeping lawmakers away from development schemes.
The government had stopped issuing tenders for development schemes of local bodies dissolved before the completion of their term in December 2021.
Owing to delay in the schemes, the infrastructure of the city has degenerated over time, street lights dilapidated and sewerage system destroyed.
However, the government now seems to resolve public difficulties as it will try to complete the schemes under administrators.
According to the sources, the schemes will be sent to the Punjab government for approval while it would be ensured that they get completed on time.
Inauguration of schemes
Rawalpindi Cantonment Board Member Haji Zafar Iqbal inaugurated a development project in Garoti neighbourhood Kamalabad on Monday.
Iqbal said that the development project in his respective ward started with the consultation of the public had been completed. He added that more development work was still underway which would be completed soon.
The RCB member said that he personally monitored the projects until they were completed and expressed that they were motivated for serving people which was their utmost aim.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2019.
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