RDA, WASA budgets approved

Rawalpindi : The 55th Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Governing Body meeting held Saturday in the conference room of RDA which was chaired by Chairman RDA/WASA Tariq Mahmood Murtaza.

The Director General RDA presented the annual budget of RDA and the Governing Body has approved Rs2379.005 million for the financial year 2021-2022. Chairman RDA said that the revenue target of RDA was Rs559 million as against the target of Rs 295 million for fiscal year 2020-21, which is 264 million more than the revenue target.

All this was made possible under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision for the construction sector.

He said RDA approved 1300 maps in one year and two underpasses are being constructed in Rawalpindi which will be at Defense Chowk and Kutcheri Chowk Rawalpindi.

Underpass at Defense Chowk will be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.2 billion, while Kuchehri Chowk is the first underpass which is based on two level tubes. It will cost at Rs3.6 billion.

He said the major portion of Rs1,984 million of the budget allocated for the ongoing and new development schemes.

The ongoing development schemes including Construction/Widening and Improvement of Dry Port Road from Rahimabad Flyover at Airport Road to Welfare Complex via Chaklala Railway Station Shell Depot, Rawalpindi at an expected cost of Rs50 million and construction of 3 Nos. Pedestrian Bridge at Airport Rawalpindi at an expected cost of Rs69 million.

Income Target for FY 2021-22 has been set at Rs433.325 million and RDA has achieved recovery target for FY 2020-21. While Rs395.001 million has been allocated for non-development expenditures/expenses which includes pay/pension salary, electricity, telephone, repair and maintenance fuel etc.

All the members of the Governing Body appreciated the performance of RDA.

The Governing Body also approved WASA’s budget of Rs2.9 billion for the financial year 2021-2022 which was presented by the Managing Director WASA.

In the previous year 2020-21, WASA achieved revenue of Rs1,151 million against the target of Rs862.8 million and set a target of Rs1185 for this year.

The expenditure was estimated at Rs3.182 billion last year as against Rs1.6 billion.

The development budget for this financial year has been set at Rs1.06 billion which will be assisted by the Government of Punjab.

Finally, the Chairman RDA thanked all the members and the meeting was ended.

The members of Governing Body RDA including Major (r) Muhammad Latasib Satti MPA PP-6, Haji Amjad Mahmood Chaudhry MPA PP-13, Ms. Nasreen Tariq MPA (W301), Muqrib Ali Khan Technical Member, DG RDA, MD WASA, Director Admin & Finance RDA, Director MP&TE RDA, Deputy Director Finance RDA, Deputy Director Planning RDA, Finance Department, HUD&PHE Department, Local Government Department, Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi, Deputy Commissioner’s Office Rawalpindi and other officers of RDA and WASA participated in the meeting.