Revised budget: Faisalabad Development Authority’s budget approved

Budgets approved in a meeting presided over by DCO Najam Ahmad Shah.

FAISALABAD:

The governing body of the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) on Tuesday approved a Rs3.39 billion budget for the FDA, a Rs3.15 billion budget for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and a Rs800 million budget for the Parks and Horticulture Agency (PHA) for 2013-14.

The budgets were approved in a meeting presided over by District Coordination Officer Najam Ahmad Shah. Wasa Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz, PHA Managing Director Ashiq Husain Dogar, assistant commissioner and representatives of the Finance, Planning and Development, Housing and Local Government Departments.

Rs3.39 billion for FDA

A Faisalabad Development Authority official, who attended the meeting, told The Express Tribune that Rs1.57 billion had been earmarked for development projects. Of this, Rs214 million would be spent on ongoing schemes and Rs329 million on new schemes, including the construction of a service road along the Rakh Branch Canal at an estimated cost of Rs150 million.

As much as Rs1 billion has been earmarked for public private partnership schemes, Rs1.08 billion for various schemes to be executed by the Faisalabad Development Authority from its own resources. Rs830 million has been allocated for infrastructure of the FDA City Housing Scheme, Rs50 million for new schemes of FDA Plaza and Gulistan Colony, and Rs125 million would be spent on other new schemes. Rs1.01 billion has been earmarked for the completion of Ring Road which is in final stages of designing.

Rs3.15b for Wasa 

Of the Rs3.15 billion allocated for Wasa, Rs1.33 billion would be spent on development projects. Rs1.24 billion has been earmarked for improving water supply and sewerage and Rs2.85 million for the completion of water reservoir extension project which would be completed with financial assistance of the French and Japanese governments.

Wasa will generate Rs980 million from its own resources, which would be spent on non development schemes. Of the non development expenditure, 46 per cent of the budget is meant for salaries and pensions. Thirty-one per cent would be spent on payment of electricity bills and 13 per cent on the improvement of water supply and sewerage system.

Rs800 million for PHA

Of the Rs800 million budget, Rs246 million would be spent on development schemes.

The PHA would also generate Rs30 million from its own resources to be spent on development schemes.

Rs80 million has been earmarked for upgrade of various parks of the city. Rs100 million would be spent on construction of new parks, Rs20 million on the improvement of water courses and Rs5 million on renovation of Special Education Park.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2013.