District council approves Rs2.86b budget

Freezes new uplift schemes till elections

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi District Council has approved a budget of over Rs2.867 billion for the upcoming financial year, with a ban on development schemes maintained across the district.

The budget for 2023-34 was approved by the administrator of the district council, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema.

The ban on new development schemes will stay in place even after the new caretaker government is sworn in until the issuance of a policy regarding the election schedule. Even with the announcement of the schedule of the general elections, the release of funds for uplift schemes will be banned till December 31.

According to the budget documents, the annual income of the district council will be over Rs1.75 billion.

The budget includes non-development expenditure costs to the tune of Rs506 million, which includes the salaries of employees as well as other administrative costs. Over Rs428 million have been earmarked for ongoing development schemes, while over Rs807 million have been allocated for the annual development program for the new financial year 2023-24.

It has set aside Rs16 million for sports fairs and festivals, and another Rs8 million for civil defence.

The civil defense will also get one per cent of the district-wide development project schemes.

It also includes an upward revision of the billboard tax and parking fee.

The budget does not include any development schemes proposed by national or provincial lawmakers, with that to be decided by the winning candidates in the upcoming elections.

The Rawalpindi District Council includes 106 union councils and six municipal committees.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2023.