LAHORE - The fate of two LDA housing schemes at Ferozepur Road and Raiwind Road announced to be designed on the pattern of DHA three years back hang in the balance due to financial constraints, lack of commitment and other numerous scandals regarding illegal private housing schemes and bogus files of plots in LDAs approved schemes. According to sources in the LDA, both the housing schemes that were to be prepared for low income group hit snags since the time of its formal notification as the authority concerned had run out of basic amount required for the acquisition of land for the schemes. The sources said the LDA conducted a report on financial review that revealed that income of the agency was subsiding due to visible dearth of financial discipline in the areas of land acquisition, execution of development schemes and management of future liabilities. The report said the authority concerned was facing overall budgetary deficit of more than Rs 2.5 billion during the last fiscal year that was further increasing by every passing day. LDA income was Rs 2866.603 million against its expenditure of Rs 5542.394 million showing deficit of Rs 2675.791 million. The deficit started with Rs 915.791 million in 2005-06, Rs 1534.210m in 2006-07 and reached Rs 2675.791 million in 2007-08, the report pointed out. Non-development expenditure shows a rising trend over the development expenditure. The LDA non-development expenditure stands at Rs 1324.291 million against development expenditure of Rs 1320.896 million, the report said. The sources said that one of the top most problems that impeded the launch of these two schemes likely to be called LDA Avenue II and LDA Avenue III was the strong cartel of private housing schemes and some officials of the agency. The mafia is deeply involved in acquiring lands in the areas that had been allocated for the development of both the schemes, the sources added. It had conspired, the sources disclosed, that both the schemes should remain lying in limbo so that they could succeed in acquiring maximum land to develop its own housing schemes Another reason that came in the way of developing the schemes was the emergence of the illegal housing schemes scandal that led to divert the focus of the authority concerned, the sources informed. The sources confided, The number of bogus files of plots in LDAs approved housing schemes specially Johar Town housing scheme detected during last some months was the another problem that forced the higher authorities to shift their focus toward further probe into the matter instead of launching the new schemes. It may be recalled that bogus files of plots have surged to 258 giving rise to the apprehension of more detections of forged files of plots in the same scheme and other housing scheme falling under the preview of LDA. The two schemes with 210,000 plots are situated at southern part of the City. The LDA approved the housing schemes on October 31, 2006 with notification under LDA Act 1975 to meet the residential requirements of the City. The Punjab government had banned sale and purchase of land in the concerned areas. One housing scheme covering around 25,000 kanal land will be situated at Raiwand Road while the second housing scheme covering 225,000 will be situated on Ferozpur Road. Both the schemes will involve 23 small towns including Moza Sadhar, Pandoki, Jalkey, Chehdow, Rakth Chehdow, Toor Wariach, Tehpanju, Badooki, Khand, Asal Suleman, Aato Asal, Kachah, Kang Sharif, Jiya Bagga, Chak Boota, Dhodhey, Raiwand, Karyal, Jalal Pura, Jadu Dheer, Ladhu Key Acheh, Watney, and Moza Kangra. The housing schemes will focus preparing large number of three-marla plots for widows, orphans and the destitute. The sources said that in the first scheme there will be 7,500 plots of one kanal, 7,500 plots of 10 marlas, 8,333 plots of 3 marlas while in the second scheme there will be 15,000 plots of one kanal, 15,000 plots of 10 marlas, and 16,666 plots of 3 marlas. When contacted, LDA spokesman told The Nation that the LDA was determined to launch these housing schemes but first it wanted to complete the work regarding road infrastructure going on with full scale throughout the City.