Rawal Town approves tax-free budget of Rs 509.220 million for fiscal year 2008

Rawal Town Assembly on Monday approved a surplus and tax-free budget of Rs 509.220 million for the fiscal 2007-08. The opposition criticised the allocation of huge funds for non-development expenditures.
Rawal Town Nazim Sheikh Rashid Shafique presented the budget in the Town Assembly in the specially convened session presided over by Convenor Farooq Azam. Convenor sought the approval of the budget from the house and it was passed with a majority vote.
However, the Opposition asked the Town Government to review the budget and further increase the development budget. They said that government had failed to allocate sufficient funds for the development projects.
In his budget speech, Town Nazim said that the income estimates for the year are Rs 664.298 million, while the expenditures were estimated at Rs 509.220 million during the next fiscal. He informed the house that at the end of the fiscal, the Town Administration would have a balance of Rs 155.078 million.
Giving details of Rs 198 million allocated for non-development expenditure, Rashid Shafique said that Rs 95 million were allocated for administrative expenditures including salaries of the staff. He said that Rs 87.5 million were allocated for recurring expenditures, while Rs 15.5 million were allocated for miscellaneous expenditure.
Out of total Rs 311.220 million development expenditures, he said would be Rs 71.5 million would be expended on construction, Rs 16 million through Citizen Community Board (CCB), Rs 35.85 million arrears of the construction, Rs 83.205 million arrears of CCB, Rs 47.2 million for ongoing projects, Rs 30 million arrears of grant of provincial government, Rs 16.3 million arrears of CM grant, Rs 1.2 million arrears of Office Complex and Rs 10 million for renovation and repairs.
He further said that the Town Administration would have an income of Rs 664.298 million including Rs 109.220 million previous balance, Rs 213.619 million grants and Rs 341.459 million from revenue collection.
Talking on performance of the town administration during the last one and a half year as Nazim, he said that he completed 90 development projects with the cost of Rs 72.477 million in 2005-06, while 126 development projects with Rs 58.962 million were completed, in 2006-07.
He said that his government is committed to serve the people and for the provision of pure drinking water, 41 filtration plants were installed in Rawalpindi city with a cost of Rs 50 million. Government has started work on Gunjmandi Road, City-Saddar road, Holy Family road and New Kattarian road with the cost of Rs 151.5 million and contract was awarded to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for high quality of work, he said.
He said very soon work on Chah Sultan road, Glass Factory road and others would be started with the estimated cost of Rs 83 million. Pirwadhai road was completed with Rs 51.7 million, he said.
Rawal Town is also constructing a modern slaughter house with the cost of Rs 50 million in co-operation with Pakistan Railways, which would help reduce the pollution and provide quality meat and beef to the people, he said adding that work has also been started on sinking of 28 tube wells with the cost of Rs 65 million provided by the City District Government, besides construction of double road and A Block Road with Rs 100 million.
Rashid Shafique said that town government has constructed school buildings with the cost of Rs 65 million and the shortage of staff would also be addressed in the educational institutions shortly.
He said that town government has earned extra income of Rs 4.1 million by increasing rent of shops, while extra income of Rs 2.2 million was also earned by rent of shops in Pirwadhai road. "We have enhanced the income of town from different contracts by Rs 17.786 million", he claimed.
He thanked President Pervez Musharraf, Chief Minister Punjab and Federal Minister for Railways for their help saying that Rs 16 billion Expressway, Rs 4 billion 400-bed hospital, 60 educational institutions and provision of railway land for different projects proves commitment of Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed with people of Rawalpindi.
The House witnessed uproar as opposition rejected the resolution regarding the 100 percent increase in parking fees. The convenor deferred the resolution till next session. The House also approved numerous other resolutions.