RDA approves Rs3.52 billion budget
The board of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Friday approved an Rs3.52 billion budget for the authority for the financial year 2020-21.
The governing body of the authority met for its 48th meeting in Rawalpindi on Friday. It was chaired by RDA Chairman Tariq Murtaza and was attended by RDA Director-General Amara Khan, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mahmood and other members of the governing body.
The board unanimously approved a 16-point agenda, including budgets for both, the RDA and Wasa.
It also approved the new alignment for the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project.
The flagship project of the garrison city has been transferred back to the RDA from the Lahore Ring Road Authority, which is a major development, Murtaza said.
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The meeting was further told that the 65.8 kilometre-long RRR will start from Radio Pakistan and move on to Rawat N-5 and terminate at Sangjani N-5.
The RDA board also approved the construction of special zones along the RRR, including industrial, educational, recreational, health, residential and necropolis. The zones and the ring road project will help decongest the city and set a new direction for the growth of the city.
Earlier, RDA DG Ammara Khan presented the authority’s annual budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 worth Rs3.52 billion.
Out of the total outlay, Rs2.39 billion have been allocated for various development projects.
The board was informed that the authority has adopted a policy of strict financial discipline while several austerity measures were taken in the outgoing financial year.
RDA’s governing body approved the budget.
Similarly, Wasa MD Shaukat Mahmood presented an Rs2.05 billion deficit budget for the agency for the fiscal year 2020-21 which was approved.
Mahmood said that while the agency yhad sought bailouts from the provincial government in the outgoing fiscal year, they were expecting to generate revenues worth Rs1.59 billion in the financial year 2020-21.
However, he added that the total expenditures of the authority will be around Rs3.65 billion in the new financial year. A major chunk of the money will be spent on improving the water supply and sewerage network in the city, paying power bills and other expenses.
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The meeting also approved various other agenda items including a three-year business plan for Wasa to bring its water and sewerage charges at par with those charged in the cantonments. However, for final approval, the summary will be sent to the Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
The meeting also gave its nod to outsource the recovery of Rs1.3 billion arrears to Wasa and directed to present the final proposal in the next meeting.
The meeting also approved regulations for the auction of properties controlled by RDA and to set up Ring Road Alignment Special Economic Zone.
The meeting also allowed the private housing societies and the general public to build access roads at their desired site including for access to Ring Road at their own expense.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2020.