LAHORE DIVISION

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan Lahore Development Authority Director General Tahir Farooq visited various blocks of LDA Avenue One, the Citizen Facilitation Centre, an under construction park and Gosha e Mazdoor on Raiwind Road. During the visit, he reviewed ongoing development projects, public facilities and property related services and issued instructions to the relevant officials. The LDA director general made a surprise inspection of the Avenue One Citizen Facilitation Centre and interacted directly with visitors to inquire about the services being provided and the problems they were facing. He said the growing number of visitors at the centre and the increase in property transfer cases in LDA City reflected rising public confidence in the project. Tahir Farooq stressed the timely processing of property transfers, building period applications and other public requests. He directed officials to ensure that property transfers in LDA City are completed within 24 hours. He also instructed the director of Avenue One to provide all possible facilities to citizens and improve the overall service delivery system. During the visit, the LDA director general also inspected an under construction park in H Block of Avenue One, where officials briefed him on the progress of the project. According to the briefing, a modern park is being developed over 47 kanals under a sustainable development model. Construction work on a total of eight new parks in LDA Avenue One is also progressing rapidly. Later, Tahir Farooq visited Gosha e Mazdoor on Raiwind Road and reviewed the facilities available there. He directed the relevant authorities to further improve the services being provided to workers.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The issuance of property tax challans has resumed across Punjab after being temporarily suspended at the beginning of the new fiscal year. The process of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) in Lahore and other parts of the province has also restarted following the updating of DC rates. According to excise officials, property tax challans could not be issued at the start of the new fiscal year because the DC rates had not been updated. The delay also affected the issuance of NOCs. With the required procedures now completed, the distribution of tax challans has resumed. Officials said more than 100,000 property tax challans were issued across Punjab in a single day. The Director General of Excise has directed the department to ensure that at least 70 percent of the challans are delivered to citizens by August 15 to speed up the tax collection process. According to the Excise Department, citizens are entitled to a 5 percent discount for paying their property tax within the two-month concession period. However, administrative delays at the beginning of the fiscal year resulted in the loss of nearly one month, increasing pressure on the department to achieve its annual revenue target of Rs 42 billion.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan The Punjab government has approved the construction of 800 new mini dams in the rain fed Potohar region over the next three years as part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen water security, improve groundwater management and support sustainable agricultural development across the province. The decision was taken during a high level meeting on agricultural transformation and water resource management chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The meeting reviewed ongoing conservation projects and approved a series of new initiatives aimed at addressing growing water challenges and improving the efficient use of natural resources. Under the new programme, the 800 mini dams will provide a combined water storage capacity of 32,000 acre feet, helping capture and preserve rainwater for agricultural use, groundwater recharge and climate resilience. Officials informed the meeting that 110 mini dams have already been completed, with photographic evidence presented to demonstrate the progress achieved so far. The chief minister was also briefed on newly completed mini dams in Attock, Talagang, Gujar Khan and Rawalpindi. She directed the relevant departments to accelerate the development of modern and secure surface water reservoirs for rainwater harvesting and called for a comprehensive long term implementation plan. Highlighting the importance of water conservation, Maryam Nawaz said that nations prosper by protecting every drop of water and emphasised that sustainable water management must remain a top development priority for Punjab. The meeting also approved measures to strengthen the legal framework governing groundwater management. Specialised staff will be appointed to improve monitoring, regulation and conservation efforts, while the agriculture, irrigation, housing and local government departments have been directed to jointly formulate and implement an integrated provincial water conservation strategy. To improve irrigation efficiency and reduce water wastage in agriculture, the provincial government will provide 1,000 new laser land levelers to farmers at a 50 percent subsidy during the current fiscal year. The technology is expected to improve water distribution, increase crop yields and lower production costs. Officials further informed the meeting that the lining of 2,600 watercourses covering approximately 7,000 kilometres has already been completed across Punjab, resulting in an estimated 20 percent reduction in water losses. Over the next three years, another 4,500 watercourses spanning around 11,500 kilometres will be upgraded and lined to further enhance irrigation efficiency. The chief minister was also informed that 100 groundwater recharge wells are now operational in the Lahore, Gujranwala and Gujrat divisions, while construction of another 300 recharge wells is nearing completion. These projects are expected to improve groundwater replenishment, particularly during the monsoon season. The meeting also reviewed fertilizer availability and agricultural input requirements across the province. Maryam Nawaz directed all concerned departments to ensure the timely completion of water conservation and agricultural development projects, stressing that efficient water management is essential for strengthening food security, supporting farmers and building long term resilience against climate change.