Delay in approval of CCB budget takes toll on uplift projects

Competent authority fails to give nod to Rs2.5b budget approved by board

RAWALPINDI:

The Rs2.5 billion budget of the Chaklala Cantonment Board for the financial year 2022-23, which was approved in the board meeting held in July 2022, could not be approved by the competent authority even after the passing of four months.

Since the competent authority has not approved the budget, the development funds cannot be utilised. Hence, the development schemes proposed by the members of the Parliament are pending.

The CCB’s budget does not include any mega projects. The non-development budget is double the development budget due to limited revenue sources, while no new tax has been imposed in the budget. The CCB could not increase its income sources significantly.

Even on the recommendation of elected public representatives, no major development scheme in their wards is included in the budget. However, in the very limited budget of Rs500 million, allocated for the maintenance and repair work of water supply, roads, and street lights, schemes have been included on the suggestions of the public representatives.

The board meeting headed by the CCB president Brigadier Salman Nazar had approved a budget of Rs2.5 billion. The expected revenue in the budget is Rs2,396 million.

Rs800 million will be allocated for salaries and establishment expenses while Rs700 million will be allocated for miscellaneous expenses. Rs500 million will be spent on construction and repair and Rs250 million will be spent on new development schemes and general works.

In the last fiscal year, after deduction, the competent authority approved a budget of only Rs1400 million for the CCB apart from the salaries.

According to the sources, the budget for salaries in the CCB has exceeded Rs80 million and due to no new source of income, it has become difficult for the board to pay the salaries. As in the past, the institution could not get any grant for development schemes from the federal and the Punjab governments this time.

Therefore, in the recent budget, a very limited budget of Rs250 million has been allocated for new development schemes.

It should be noted that the problem of drinking water has intensified in the civilian population included in the board.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2022.