Rawalpindi: The Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) finance sub-committee has preliminarily approved a budget worth PKR 5.156 billion for the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY 22), news sources reported. The said budget will be officially approved in a joint meeting of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and WASA Rawalpindi.
Director-General RDA Nadeem Ahmed Abro presided over the financial subcommittee meeting. Faisal Afzal from the Housing Department, Saima Ghafoor from the P&D Department, and Amjad Ayub from the Finance Department, in addition to WASA and RDA officers, attended the meeting.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that the agency has kept the previous tariffs for water and sanitation services, as well as for new connections. The proposed budget allocation is further subdivided into different income and support fund sources, the specifics of which are as follows:
● The WASA has estimated revenue of PKR 1,370.3 million from its services related charges
● PKR 1,061.7 million will be provided by the Punjab government under the head of the annual development fund. The annual development fund will further be spent on the following development projects
■ PKR 840.7 million for Chauhan Dam Water Supply Project,
■ PKR 50 million would be spent on replacing old and damaged lines under the gastro package
■ PKR 50 million for the installation of sewage systems in Union Councils
■ PKR 50 million would be spent on the Kehkashan Water Supply Scheme
■ PKR 10 million for the construction of small sewage treatment facilities
■ PKR 30 million for the up-gradation of Satellite Town’s sewerage system
● PKR 450 million will be received under Punjab Urban Immovable Property (UIP) tax to support the budget deficit
● Additional subsidy of PKR 200 million will be provided by the Punjab government
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