PHA approves Rs420m deficit budget

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi has approved over Rs420 million deficit budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 by allocating almost the entire funds for non-development expenditures.

The PHA has projected collective annual expenses of Rs490 million in the new year with a deficit of Rs70 million. The PHA has not allocated a sum for development projects in the new fiscal year.

The PHA has envisaged collecting Rs250 million in taxes while the Punjab government will provide a special grant of over Rs150 million.

In the new budget, over Rs270 million have been set aside for salaries while over Rs180 million have been allocated for miscellaneous expenses.

The PHA also plans to carry out beautification work in all parks across the district with the support of various non-governmental organisations and companies.

The PHA has also decided to increase rates of billboards and hoardings to increase revenue and meet expenses.

The PHA also plans to allocate five per cent of space in parks for commercial purposes to generate income.

The PHA mainly generates funds by auctioning advertisement space on billboards, hoardings, and banners in Rawal Town, Potohar Town and Murree.

The remaining funds, the PHA expects, would be provided by the Punjab government under special grants since the PHA cannot generate sufficient funds to meet its non-developmental expenditures.

Established in 2011, the PHA was assigned to look after over 50 different parks in Rawal Town, Potohar Town, and Murree. Moreover, green areas and belts along the roads were also part of PHA’s responsibilities.