A hefty Rs 25b LDA budget approved

Lahore Development Authority (LDA)’s governing body on Monday approved the annual budget of the authority and its subordinate agencies; Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and Traffic Engineering Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) for the fiscal year 2013-14.
The total resources of the LDA, WASA and TEPA were estimated at Rs 25.046 billion with an approximate expenditure of Rs 25.043 billion out of which Rs 14.401 billion were earmarked for development works.
LDA Chairman and District Coordination Officer Nasim Sadiq chaired the budget meeting which was attended by LDA Director General Khan Cheema, WASA Managing Director Dr Javed Iqbal, TEPA Chief Engineer Saeed Akhter, LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed, LDA Finance Director Zaheer Asghar Rana, TEPA Administration and Finance Director Chaudhary Aftab Majeed, WASA Finance Director Naheed Gul Baloch, representatives of provincial local government, Housing, P&D and Finance departments and administrators of the nine constituent towns of the city.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT BUDGET: LDA Urban Development Wing’s (UD Wing) total resources for fiscal year 2013-14 were estimated at Rs 11.567 billion against the expected expenditures of Rs 11.543 billion. This amount would also include a development expenditure of Rs 9.105 billion.
Out of Rs 2.6 billion for LDA’s housing schemes, Rs 1,100 million would be spent on the development of necessary infrastructure in housing schemes for government employees in LDA Avenue-1.
The construction of a road network, a main trunk sewer from Expo Centre to Satukatla Drain, a grid station, water supply and sewerage network at the Johar Town’s Finance and Trade Centre would cost Rs 919 million. A sum of Rs 500 million had been set aside for a new housing scheme, LDA City, in Lahore.
Around Rs 1.6 billion had been earmarked in the new budget for the construction of buildings, while Rs 185 million would be spent for starting the construction of new buildings.
As much as Rs 250 million would be spent on the construction of a car parking and a commercial plaza in Allama Iqbal Town Moon Market.
Fire safety equipments and CCTV security systems for LDA buildings would cost Rs 25 million while construction of houses for LDA officials at Jubilee Town would cost Rs 60 million.
Additionally, Rs 100 million each was allocated for the construction of a community centre at Garden Town and a commercial plaza in Gulberg V.
Other development schemes would cost Rs 1.35 billion including Rs 500 million for priority works.
A total of Rs 1.14 billion would be spent on the Lahore Roads Rehabilitation Programme (LRRP).
Furthermore, the dualisation of a road from Ferozepur Road to Multan Road would cost Rs 1.84 billion out of which Rs 230 million will be spent on the installation of LED lights on various roads of the city.
WASA’S BUDGET: The total receipts of WASA were estimated at Rs 9.051 billion in the financial year 2013-14.
Around Rs 2.064 billion will be spent on development schemes. An amount of Rs 261 million was allocated for the construction of the waste water treatment plant at Lahore’s Mahmood Booti while Rs 225 million was reserved for the construction of a waste water treatment plant at Babu Sabu.
The replacement of outlived, deeper and inundated water supply lines with HDPE pipes in Lahore’s Gastro Project Phase-II would cost Rs 100 million while the provision of water supply, sewerage and drainage systems in UC 117,118,119 and 120 would cost Rs 50 million.
Work on on-going schemes would cost Rs 357.691 million while the establishment of the Punjab Water Sanitation Academy would cost Rs 75 million.
The restoration of the original cross section (40 feet) of Satukatla Drain from Ferozepur Road to PECO Road would cost Rs 100 million. WASA has also reserved an amount of Rs 200 million for the purchase of water meters.
Furthermore, TEPA would have Rs 4.427 billion at its disposal whereas its expenditures were estimated at Rs 3.511 billion including development works costing Rs 3.23 billion.