Development projects: LDA budget for 2013-14 approved

Rs25 billion expenditure has been planned.

LAHORE:

The Lahore Development Authority’s governing body on Monday approved the annual budget for the Authority, for the Water and Sanitation Agency and for the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency for the fiscal year 2013-14.

The total resources of the LDA, the Wasa and the Tepa have been estimated at around Rs25.046 billion. The planned expenditure for the next year is Rs25.043 billion. Rs14.401 billion has been allocated for development projects.

District Coordination Officer and LDA Chairman Nasim Sadiq chaired the budget meeting. It was also attended by LDA Director General Ahad Khan Cheema, Wasa Managing Director Javed Iqbal, Tepa Chief Engineer Saeed Akhter, LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed, LDA Finance Director Zaheer Asghar Rana, Tepa Administration and Finance Director Chaudhry Aftab Majeed, Wasa Finance Director Naheed Gul Baloch, several representatives of the provincial local government, Housing, Planning and Development and Finance departments as well as the administrators of the LDA’s nine constituent towns.

LDA (Urban Development Wing)

The resources of the LDA’s Urban Development Wing are estimated at Rs11.567 billion against expected expenditures of Rs11.543 billion.  The amount includes development expenditures of Rs9.105 billion.

Of the Rs2.6 billion allocated for the LDA’s housing schemes, Rs1,100 million will be spent on the development of infrastructure in the housing schemes for government employees (LDA Avenue-1). Rs919 million has been earmarked for the construction of roads, repair of the trunk sewer from Expo Centre to Sattukatla Drain, grid stations and the water supply and sewerage at the Finance and Trade Centre in Johar Town. Rs500 million has also been allocated for a new housing scheme-LDA City.

Around Rs1.6 billion has been appropriated for the construction and maintenance of buildings by the LDA... Rs185 million will be spent on constructing new buildings.

A total of Rs250 million will be spent on the construction of parking lots and completing a plaza in Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town. Adding fire alarms and security cameras in LDA buildings will cost Rs25 million. Around Rs60 million has been allocated for construction of houses for LDA officials in Jubilee Town. Rs100 million each will be spent on the construction of a community centre in Garden Town and on a plaza on plot, No 4-A Gulberg V.

The LDA has allocated Rs1.35 billion for various other development schemes, including Rs500 million for priority works. Around Rs1.14 billion will be spent on the Lahore Roads Rehabilitation Programme (LRRP). Rs1.84 billion has been allocated for the construction of a dual road from LOS Ferozepur Road to Multan Road. Around Rs230 million has been earmarked for project to install LED lights on various roads in the city.

WASA

The Wasa’s revenue is estimated at Rs9.051 billion in the financial year 2013-14, and will spend a total of Rs9.988 billion...Rs2.064 billion of which will be spent on development schemes.

Around Rs261 million and Rs225 million have been earmarked for the construction of Waste Water Treatment Plants at Mahmood Booti, Salamat Pura, and Babu Sabu. An estimated Rs100 million will be spent on the replacement of outdated and inundated water supply lines with HDPE pipes - (Gastro Project Phase-II).

Around Rs50 million will be spent on water supply, sewerage and the drainage systems in UCs 117,118,119 and 120.

Approximately Rs357.691 million will be spent on on-going Wasa projects.  The establishment of the Punjab Water Sanitation Academy will cost an estimated Rs75 million. The restoration of the Original Cross Section (40 feet) of the Sattukatla Drain from Ferozepur Road to PECO Road will cost Rs100 million. Wasa has also set aside Rs200 million to purchase water meters in order to curb water theft in the city.

TEPA

The Tepa will have Rs4.427 billion at its disposal. Its expenditure has been estimated as Rs3.511 billion, including development projects costing Rs3.232 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2013.