LAHORE DIVISION

Lahore: [ReNews Pakistan] Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq has directed all relevant sections of the authority to accelerate revenue recovery operations during the final weeks of the current financial year. The directions were issued during a review meeting held under his chairmanship to assess revenue generation, budget targets and recovery performance across different wings of the LDA. The meeting reviewed the budget targets assigned to all sections of the authority and examined the progress made so far in achieving recovery goals. Speaking on the occasion, DG LDA Tahir Farooq said recovery operations must be intensified before the close of the financial year. He directed officials to ensure that all pending recoveries are actively pursued and no delay is allowed in cases where payments are due. The DG also instructed the concerned teams to ensure recovery from cases approved by the Planning and Design Committee. He said all departments must work in close coordination to meet revenue targets and improve the financial position of the authority. Tahir Farooq further directed that strict action be taken against properties that have failed to pay illegal commercial penalties. He said enforcement measures should be strengthened against defaulters and teams should proceed according to law wherever dues remain unpaid. The Director General also instructed the Directorate of Auction to take special measures for achieving its recovery targets. He directed the town planning and revenue teams to work additional hours in order to facilitate citizens and complete pending recovery related work within the available time. He said additional staff should also be deployed during the last days of the financial year to provide better services to citizens and ensure smooth processing of revenue matters. During the meeting, NESPAK officials briefed the participants about land use surveys being carried out in different LDA schemes. The briefing covered progress on survey work and its relevance to planning, regulation and future revenue management. The meeting was attended by the Additional Director General Housing, Chief Town Planner One, Chief Town Planner Two, Chief IT Officer, Director Revenue, Deputy Director Finance and other officials. Officers from town planning and NESPAK also participated in the meeting.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan On the orders of the Lahore High Court, a three-member grievance redressal committee of NEPRA has, after a formal hearing, directed the Bahria Town Lahore administration to issue residential electricity bills in accordance with the LESCO format. The committee also instructed that all approved charges must be clearly mentioned on the bills. NEPRA rejected Bahria Town’s demand for bulk net metering facility on its bulk supply connection. In its decision, the committee ordered the Bahria Town administration to clearly include all approved charges in electricity bills as per rules. It further directed that maintenance charges should be collected separately and must not be made part of electricity bills. The committee also directed LESCO to install bi-directional meters on Bahria Town connections. It said that solar consumers and Bahria Town should resolve issues related to net metering agreements and exported units through mutual understanding and in accordance with the law. NEPRA observed that Bahria Town does not possess a licence for electricity distribution and supply. It stated that Bahria Town is allegedly charging consumers an illegal flat per-unit rate along with four different types of charges. The authority further noted that Bahria Town is illegally capping solar export units, causing serious difficulties for residents.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan A proposal has been prepared to allocate Rs 52 billion for the Punjab Board of Revenue in the upcoming budget. According to details, the budgetary volume for 27 new development schemes has been set at Rs 17.03 billion. An amount of Rs 90 million will be earmarked for the digitization of land records in seven districts, while Rs 530 million will be allocated for the construction of rural roads and link roads in Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur. In Lahore, an integrated disaster management system will be established at a cost of Rs120 million. The provincial government has also proposed allocating more than Rs 500 million for the construction and rehabilitation of deputy commissioners’ and commissioners’ offices across Punjab. An amount of Rs559.8 million will be released for ongoing projects of the Board of Revenue, while Rs 50 million has been proposed for protection work against erosion caused by the Chenab River. For the construction of deputy commissioner complexes and emergency operation centres in Kot Addu and Murree, Rs50 million each is expected to be approved. A sum of Rs 530 million has been proposed for the Cholistan Development Authority, while Rs 290 million will be allocated for the construction of a complex. A disaster risk reduction project worth Rs 40 million will also be approved for flood protection measures. Separately, Rs 336 million has been proposed for ongoing projects of the Board of Revenue, while Rs4.82 billion has been suggested for new schemes. In Hafizabad, Rs 60 million will be released for the installation of two 50 kilowatt solar systems at the deputy commissioner’s office and camp office. A Rs 50 million project will also be approved in Mianwali to protect areas along the Indus River from erosion. The budget proposals further include the allocation of funds worth millions of rupees for the renovation of the assistant commissioner’s house and deputy commissioner’s office in Rawalpindi and Attock. In addition, Rs46.3 million is being allocated for the improvement of tehsil complexes in Pasrur and Daska.