LDA Approved Rs57.96 Billion Annual Budget

[Salman]

The Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) governing body on Monday approved Rs57.96 billion annual budget for the authority and its subordinate agencies—the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) for the fiscal year 2017-18.

LDA governing body member Khawaja Ahmad Hassan chaired the budget meeting which was attended by MPAs Bao Muhammad Akhtar, Rana Muhammad Arshad, Arif Khan Sandheela, Housing secretary, Khurram Agha, LDA Director General Zahid Akhtar Zaman, WASA Managing Director Sayed Zahid Aziz, additional director generals Samia Saleem, Zeeshan Shabbir Rana, Muhammad Khizar Afzal, LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed, TEPA Chief Engineer Saifur Rehman and others.

The total resources of the LDA, WASA and TEPA have been estimated as Rs 57.96 billion, out of which Rs 37.55 billion has been earmarked for development works in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib and Kasur.

According to the approved budget, the LDA (Urban Development Wing) will get Rs38.6 billion. This amount includes the development expenditure of Rs 28.58 billion which includes Rs 13.51 billion through LDA’s own sources, Rs 14.64 billion to be provided by the Punjab government for executing various development projects under Annual Development Programme and deposit works, and Rs 540 million through LDA’s own sources for carrying out exclusive development schemes in three districts Sheikupura, Nankana Sahib and Kasur.

An amount of Rs 4.49 billion has been allocated through LDA’s own sources for carrying out development works in the LDA housing schemes. This includes Rs 1 billion for LDA Avenue-I, Rs 390 million for the construction of road network, water supply, and sewerage at Finance and Trade Centre, Johar Town, Rs two billion for LDA city, and Rs 1 billion as lump sum provision for the development projects in different the LDA housing schemes.

These projects will include construction of an underpass at a railway crossing near Gurumangat Road, Gulberg, remodeling of junctions and U-turns at Moulana Shoukat Ali Road, Khayaban-e-Firdousi Khyban-e-Jinnah along with other development schemes.

A sum of Rs1.40 billion has been allocated for construction of different buildings including Rs. 800 million for the construction of a new LDA office building at Johar Town, Rs 100 million for office at LDA Avenue-I and Rs 150 million for additional construction work at Park & Shop Plaza, Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town.

An amount of Rs 6.08 billion has been allocated for kicking off new projects in the provincial metropolis. An amount of Rs 2 billion has been reserved for the construction of Twin Towers Project at Jail Road; Rs 100 million for the construction of an underpass at Shahkam Chowk Defence Road. LDA’s contributions for carrying out these projects lie under the public-private partnership mode on a cost-sharing basis.

The subordinate agency, WASA, is excepting total receipts of Rs 14.93 billion in the financial year 2017-18, while the estimated expenditure is Rs 15 billion, including Rs 5.22 billion for development schemes.

WASA will spend a sum of Rs 3 billion for the on-going development schemes.

The other subordinate agency, TEPA, will have a total of Rs 4.42 billion at its disposal whereas its expenditure has been estimated at Rs 4.17 billion, including development works costing Rs 3.81 billion.