Housing and works: Rs1 billion earmarked for new units, repair of existing facilities
A sum of Rs997.04 million has been earmarked for 11 ongoing projects in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) according to the budget issued on Friday.
Among the other main schemes, the government has allocated Rs771.9 million for the construction of a new secretariat block on the Constitution Avenue. The project, initiated in 2008, was estimated to cost Rs3.47 billion and due to be completed in 2010.
It was delayed because of lack of funds, said an official.
A sum of Rs2.43 billion had been spent on the project by the end of the last financial year.
The division has requested Rs1.73 billion to complete the construction, out of which the government has allocated Rs771.9 million.
In a development which also concerns the medical students of Rawalpindi whose hostel building has been occupied by National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) officials for the past many years, the government has allocated Rs150 million for the construction of NAB headquarters in the current budget.
The cost of the project was estimated at Rs546.6 million, out of which Rs112.9 million were spent till the end of the last financial year. The division had asked for the remaining Rs433.9 million. Given the allocation, the office is not expected to be completed in 2012-13 either, meaning that NAB would continue to occupy the girls’ hostel building for now.
For the construction of 12 flats in the Ministers’ Enclave, Rs5 million have been allocated. The initial cost of the project was Rs259 million, out of which Rs164 million have already been spent, while the division had demanded the remaining Rs95 million for the completion of the project.
Moreover, the initial cost of an extension in the Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) office block was estimated at Rs197 million. During the last financial year, Rs138 million were spent and the division had demanded Rs60 million for the project, but the government has only allocated Rs30 million for the current fiscal year.
Apart from the extension of IB’s building, the division had demanded Rs0.223 million for completing the construction of residential accommodation of IB officials in Bhara Kahu. The initial cost of the project was Rs64.7 million.
By the end of the fiscal year ending in 2012, Rs64.5 million had already been spent on the project and the remaining amount has been granted in the current PSDP. For IB’s third project, regarding the extension of the residential accommodation in its academy at H-11, the government has allocated Rs10 million against the actual demand of Rs42 million.
Meanwhile, Rs15 million have finally been allocated for the renovation of the long neglected government-owned flats in I-9/4, out of the estimated cost of Rs29 million.
The division was allocated Rs3 million for the purpose last year. For the new fiscal year the division had demanded Rs25 million.
For shatter-proof windows, doors and ventilators at the Prime Minister (PM) House, Rs3 million were allocated last year out of an estimated Rs7 million.
In the new fiscal year, the division had demanded Rs4.3 million but only Rs2 million have been earmarked in the new budget.
Furthermore, a sum of Rs2 million has been allocated for fire prevention and fire fighting in the PM House which is less than the last year’s allocation of Rs3 million.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2012.
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