Security matters: Rs2.8 billion to be spent on making the city safe

A total of Rs3.7 billion allocated under the Interior Division for 2012-13.

ISLAMABAD:

The government has allocated Rs3.7 billion for Islamabad under the Interior Division for 2012-13.

The controversial Islamabad Safe City project, budgeted at over Rs11 billion, has been allocated Rs2.8 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. All the funds will come from foreign aid, according to 2012-13 budget document issued by the Public Sector Development Programme. In 2011-12 the project was allocated Rs186.032 million, with Rs50 million from foreign aid.

Before that, in March 2011, the project was dropped after the Supreme Court noted that there were transparency issues in how the project was awarded to a Chinese contractor. Under the project, security cameras and CCTVs are being installed all over the city among other security measures.

Moreover, Rs222.421 million have been allocated for Islamabad Development Package, which has an estimated cost of Rs4.3 billion.

The Judicial and Administration Complex in Islamabad will get Rs23.044 million in the upcoming fiscal year, while the population welfare service will be given Rs90.062 million. The total cost for the two projects is Rs419.207 million and Rs378.904 million respectively.

An amount of Rs10 million have been allocated for the construction of police barracks in Islamabad, which is budgeted at 248.712 million. Rs50 million have been allocated to the National Programme for Family Planning and Primary Health Care (the total cost is Rs241.036 million). An amount of Rs32.972 million have been allocated Regional Training Institute H-8, budgeted at Rs139 million.

Meanwhile the police lines in H-11 will get Rs19.242 million for the construction of a boundary, whose total cost is estimated to be Rs117.107 million. Moreover, Rs2.607 million have been allocated for the construction of police barrack in F-7, F-8, G-9, and G-10, a project that will have cost the government Rs90.590 million on completion.

Rs16.103 million have been allocated for the construction of Tarnol Police Station, which is budgeted at Rs63.270 million.

The government will spend Rs15 million to improve farming practices in ICT, while three crawler-mounted rigs will be purchased for Rs20 million. Water conservation projects have been allocated Rs18.888 million for 2012-13.

An amount of Rs15.625 million has been allocated for the construction of wireless complex and residential accommodation for telecommunication staff in sector H-11, budgeted at Rs58.515 million.

Rs14.567 million have been allocated for the up-gradation and expansion of veterinary health care services (total cost: Rs58.45 million); Rs30 million have been allocated for productivity enhancement through agriculture land,and promotion of orchard and vegetable farming, a project budgeted at Rs100.839 million.

The development of an Rs49.95 million Olive Vegetable Nursery will take away Rs15 million of the budget in 2012-13.

Rs10 million have been allocated for the construction of Basic Health Units with staff accommodation. The entire project is budgeted at Rs47.806 million.

An amount of Rs11.572 million has been allocated for the improvement of milk and meat production by strengthening artificial insemination services.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2012.