Rawalpindi-Chairman Rawalpindi Development Authority Arif Abbasi revealed that Federal Bureau of Revenue had deducted Rs329.072 million ‘illegally’ from official account of RDA on pretext of income tax.
“We are writing letters to high ups of FBR to recover the illegally-deducted amount,” he added. He said that the amount once recovered would be spent on development of Rawalpindi.
The chairman RDA expressed these views while addressing a presser at his office on Tuesday. Deputy Director Public Affairs WASA Umar Farooq and Media Manager RDA Hafiz Irfan were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the presser, Arif Abbasi said that FBR was not officially allowed for deducting such a huge amount, that too from official account of RDA on pretext of income tax. “The RDA is also an organ of the government, prime duty of which is to launch development and public welfare projects in the city,” he said. He said that he had intimated Chairman FBR trough letters to return the authority’s said amount so that it could be utilised for welfare of citizens of Rawalpindi. He also said that the RDA had collected Rs240.73 million in revenue in 2018-19 which was more than the given target of Rs222.86 million. He said that the authority had also saved Rs90.48 million by reducing its expenditures during 2018-19. “We have been allocated Rs260.40 million for running the affairs of the authority but we have saved huge amount while acting upon the PM’s drive of austerity,” the chairman added. He was of view that Punjab government had allocated Rs4 billion for execution of Ring Road project that would be started soon. “The Ring Road is future of the city and it will change the fate of Rawalpindi residents,” he said, adding that RDA would also build 3 over-head bridges on Airport Road with the cost of Rs20 million. Rs5 million has also been allocated for financial assistance of families of deceased employees of RDA, he said. He said that RDA had launched a massive crackdown against owners of illegal/unapproved housing societies and bulldozed their offices in order to save the citizens from being looted by these fraudsters. “RDA has uploaded the status and LOPs of all private housing societies on its website for guidance of the people,” Arif Abbasi said. The chairman said that the newly-inducted management of WASA had solved issue of water scarcity successfully despite having limited resources. “The incumbent government has started work on 3 mega projects of Chehan, Dadocha and Ghazi Barotha dams in order to cater the need of water in the city,” he said. He said that WASA had also completed dredging of Nullah Leh by spending Rs10 million to avoid losses during monsoon season.