Islamabad - enior Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Muhammad Naveed Malik said that CDA Board Friday approved budget of Rs.40.5 billion for 2018-19 and urged that it should focus on better development of markets by utilizing the development budget.

He stressed that CDA and MCI should take urgent measures to improve basic infrastructure in markets in order to facilitate the growth of business activities, said a press release issued here. He was addressing local traders after inaugurating a Fitness Centre in Jinnah Super Market, Islamabad. Abdul Rauf Alam, Zafar Bakhtawari, Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, former Presidents ICCI, Khalid Chaudhry, Raja Safeer, Malik Najeeb and others were also present at the occasion.

Muhammad Naveed Malik said that CDA has not done any development work in markets for the last few years due to which their condition has deteriorated a lot. He said the markets in the federal capital urgently needed repair of roads & footpaths, provision of filtration plants, public toilets, streetlights and other facilities. He further said after the establishment of local government in Islamabad, MCI was responsible for repair and maintenance work in markets, but the issue of distribution of work between CDA and MCI was still not fully resolved due to which the development work in markets was suffering.

He said CDA has earmarked about Rs21.7 billion for development projects which was 54 percent of its total budget. He emphasized that CDA should enhance the development budget up to at least 60 percent of its total budget to accelerate the pace of development work in markets and the city. He demanded that CDA should focus on urgent development of all pending sectors for the benefit of purchasers and the investors.