With the local bodies’ elections barely three months away, the provincial government has started sending the proposed development schemes to the Local Government Planning Board for final approval.
The neighbourhood level schemes have been devised in consultation with the PTI members of the national and provincial assemblies to woo voters of their respective constituencies in Rawalpindi. The Punjab government has approved funds worth over Rs1.37 billion to be released through ruling party’s lawmakers for neighbourhood development schemes in the garrison city, sources said. These funds are part of Rs5.55 billion package for microlevel development schemes across the province to further strengthen position of the ruling party at grass-root level.
It has been decided to distribute the funds on the basis of 60 per cent among the MPAs of the ruling party and 40 per cent among the MNAs. The Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation, presently under an administrator, has been instructed to complete the tender process by February 2. Development schemes include construction of road street infrastructure, street lights and sewerage nullahs. To garner public support for LG candidates, the leading PTI figures have proposed development schemes in their respective constituencies. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Punjab Minister for Colonies and Prisons Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Punjab Minister for Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Raja Rashid Hafeez, MPAs Ejaz Khan Jazi, Adnan Chaudhry ,Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Haji Amjad Mahmood Chaudhry and MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafiq are among those who sent development schemes to RMC.
The political analysts giving their personal opining said that the timing for releasing funds was crucial and it was meant to garner public support before the local bodies’ elections. As per the documents read by The Express Tribune, the share of Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) is Rs1.37 billion, which is highest in history. The provincial government has identified areas where these funds would be spent through the ministry of local government. Most of them would be related to construction and repair work and civic development as proposed by the national and provincial lawmakers. The officials said that it would include laying new water supply lines, installation of tube wells, repair and construction of roads and streets, improvement of the sewerage system, etc.
They added that all schemes would be completed within six months of the commencement date. The work on the development projects is expected to start this month while the deadline, for small projects, has been set as December 31. The ruling PTI government intends to finish all development schemes before the local bodies’ elections to earn public support and win local bodies elections. Therefore, it will primarily focus on projects at levels of neighborhood and panchayat councils. There are 3,563 urban neighbourhood councils and over 21,000 village punchayats in the province.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ