Governing body approves budgets of RDA, WASA

Rawalpindi: The 55th Governing Body of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Saturday approved the annual budget 2021-22 of RDA amounting to Rs2,329.005 million.

A meeting of the Governing Body held here today was chaired by RDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood Murtaza.

The RDA Director General presented the annual budget of RDA in the meeting.

DG Rawalpindi Development Authority informed the meeting that the authority succeeded to generate revenue amounting to Rs559 million, Rs264 million more than the target of Rs295 million fixed for fiscal year 2020-21.The meeting was informed that the RDA succeeded to generate record revenue as all out efforts were made on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and the authorities concerned of RDA worked hard as per the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision and implemented a policy to promote the construction activities in the district.

RDA saved Rs189 million in its non-development expenditure, he said.

The DG informed that as per the vision of the Prime Minister Imran Khan, the digitization process was started in RDA.

The residential and commercial building plans and maps are being received online and being approved in 30 days period.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has empowered the institutions particularly those which were in deficit, he said adding, RDA approved 1300 maps in one year.

A modern one-window operation had also been introduced in RDA to facilitate the citizens.

He said that two underpasses would be constructed in Rawalpindi at Defence Chowk and Kutchery Chowk.

Rs2.2 billion would be spent to construct Defence Chowk underpass.Kutchery Chowk would be first project of its own kind as two level underpasses would be constructed which would be introduced first time in Pakistan.

The project would be completed at a cost of Rs3.6 billion. In the budget, Rs1,984 million has been allocated for new development projects, he informed the meeting.

The ongoing development schemes including construction and widening of Dry Port Road from Rahimabad Flyover at Airport Road to Welfare Complex via Chaklala Railway Station Shell Depot, would be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 50 million while construction work of three pedestrian bridges at Airport Road would be completed at an estimated 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, he said.

Rs395.001 million has been allocated for non-development expenditures which include payment of pension and salary, electricity, telephone, repair and maintenance work.

All the members of the Governing Body appreciated the performance of Rawalpindi Development Authority.

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

The meeting was informed that in 2020-21, WASA collected revenue amounting to Rs1151 million against the target of Rs862.8 million. A new target of Rs1185 million has been set for this year.

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, representatives of finance Department, HUD&PHE Department, Local Government Department and officers from Commissioner Office, Deputy Commissioner Office and other officers of RDA and WASA participated in the meeting.