PHA prepares plan to tackle budget deficit

JARANWALA:

Facing persistent budget deficits and a refusal of supplementary grants from the Punjab government, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has devised a comprehensive business plan to sustain its operations.

The plan is set to be presented for approval during the upcoming board of directors meeting next week.

According to sources, the PHA has been grappling with an annual budget shortfall of approximately Rs250 million.

Last year, while the allocated budget was Rs900 million, the authority generated an income of only Rs600 million, with expenditures exceeding the approved limit.

This financial strain has rendered the authority's sustainability a pressing concern.

To address this, the newly proposed business plan aims to generate an additional Rs180 million annually.

Previously, the PHA requested a Rs310 million supplementary grant from Punjab's housing department, but the government declined.

The PHA oversees 833 acres of green spaces, including 345 parks, but its operations have been hampered by staff shortages. Of the 1,526 sanctioned positions since its establishment in 2014, nearly 950 remain vacant.

Budget constraints also led to the retrenchment of approximately 700 daily wage workers, leaving several parks neglected.

PHA Director General Dilawar Khan Chaddhar highlighted key revenue-generating initiatives under the new plan. This included auctions and outsourcing of digital streamers, food courts, children's play areas, amusement parks and flower shops that are projected to generate Rs101.13 million.

Petrol pumps, parking areas, gymnasium spaces, nurseries, and a zoo at Canal Park are expected to yield Rs76.93 million.

An additional Rs36.2 million is anticipated from installing digital streamers in city parks.

To enhance park development and foster a sense of ownership, committees comprising community members will be formed.

The fee for issuing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for private housing schemes will be doubled, from Rs100,000 to Rs200,000 per kanal, reflecting inflation and rising costs.

The business plan also proposes several initiatives to attract public interest:

Food courts at prominent parks, including Bagh-e-Jinnah, Kaleem Shaheed Park, and Kashmir Park, Batala Colony.

Outsourcing Bagh-e-Jinnah's non-functional library to private investors to operate round-the-clock, preserving its heritage and increasing accessibility for the public.