The city district government has so far been able to spend 80 per cent of the development budget of the current fiscal year while all the 18 projects worth Rs 750 million are near completion in the district.
This was revealed by District Coordination Officer (DCO) Barrister Nabil Ahmad Awan while talking to this scribe in his office. He added that provincial government had sanctioned Rs 500 million of total allocated Rs 750 million for the ongoing 18 projects while the remaining Rs 250 million would be received during the next fiscal year for the completion of these projects.
Haideri Road Underpass will cost Rs 20 million, Sheikhupura Road, Rs 137 million, Ferozewala Road, Rs 50 million, Jinnah Road, Rs 38 million, Hafizabad Road, Rs 50 million, Noshera Sansi Road, Rs 61 million, Government Iqbal High School, Rs 27.5 million, Kotli Nawab-Eimanabad Road, Rs 17 million, Judicial Colony Road, Rs 104 million, Garjakh Road, Rs 105 million, Gurunanakpura Road, Rs 54 million, Noshera Road, Rs 129 million, Katcha Eimanabad Road, Rs 166 million, Pasrur Road, Rs 165 million and four sewerage schemes Rs 119 million, he revealed.
The DCO hoped most of the projects would be completed before June 30 and added double-shift working was under process at these projects.
KILN OWNERS STAGE SIT-IN: Brick Kiln Owners Association staged a sit-in before the press club to protest the levy of 16 per cent sales tax on this industry in the proposed budget of the next fiscal year.
More than 200 manufacturers and labourers participated in the sit-in and shouted slogans against the federal government. The president of the association, Iftikhar Ahmed Samma, said 500 brick kilns were functioning in the district where some 50,000 labourers were working, adding their jobs would be at risk after the imposition of the tax. The office bearers of the association announced a three-day shutdown from July 1 if their demand was not met.