RDA Finalizes Rs2.3 Billion Budget
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Tuesday finalized its budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 worth Rs2.3 billion with a maximum chunk of it to be utilized for development works.
The Punjab government would give funds for all development initiatives, while the civic body will use its earnings to pay wages and other expenses. The RDA had previously increased the construction design fee for residential, commercial, and industrial plots and units by 50%, thus no additional tax was levied. The hike took effect in March 2021.
The budget proposals were finalized by the finance subcommittee, comprising the Finance Department, Planning and Development Department, Housing Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department at a meeting with RDA Director General Nadeem Abro in the chair.
The total budget allocation for 2021-22 was Rs2.379 billion, the meeting was told. A significant chunk of it, Rs1.98 billion, has been reserved for existing and future development projects. All of RDA’s projects have been included in the Punjab annual development programme (ADP), according to a senior official, and the provincial government would distribute funding for the projects in September. He said that in a week or two, the budget would be submitted to the governing body, and it would be approved.
Building/widening and upgrading of the Dry Port Road from Rahimabad Flyover to Shell Depot at Chaklala Railway Station, costing Rs50 million, and construction of three pedestrian bridges on Airport Road, costing Rs69 million, were among the current development projects.
Land acquisition for the Leh Expressway and Flood Channel worth Rs20 million, remodeling of Kutchery Chowk (Rs300 million), remodeling of Defence Chowk (Rs300 million), and the establishment of a Project Management Unit for the Leh Nullah Expressway Project and Urban Regeneration Plan were among the new development schemes.
RDA has set a target of collecting Rs433.325 million from development plans and fees imposed on violations, according to budget statistics. The official said that the RDA has met its recovery target for the fiscal year 2020-21. He said the wings of Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering, as well as Land Use and Building Control, had collected Rs491 million in the previous fiscal year, compared to a target of Rs335 million.
He said that residents had submitted a total of 1,435 building designs for approval, a new high in the RDA’s history. Apart from the actions conducted this fiscal year against illegal housing projects and illegal constructions. Fines had also been levied on violators, and FIRs had been filed against illegal housing projects and developments, such as houses and commercial markets, he added.
He stated that non-development costs had been allotted Rs395.001 million, which included wages, pensions, power, telephones, repair, maintenance, and fuel.