Noorul Amin Mengal, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), has announced that a substantial budget of Rs 20 billion will be earmarked for the development of rural areas in Islamabad.
During an introductory meeting with the media, the CDA chief stated that a public-centric approach would be taken to address the issues confronting the masses.
Mengal also stated that the Central Development Working Party will give approval to the PC-1 for rural development at its upcoming meeting.?He emphasised that rural development would include the construction of roads, the paving of streets, and the construction of parks and playgrounds.
The chairman added that the new leadership has taken on the challenge of cracking down on encroachment and that emergency measures have been implemented.
4,000 plots in Sector I-15 would be returned to their owners, with development work beginning in Sector E-12, he remarked.
Furthermore, to revitalise Islamabad, the civic body will host the Islamabad Literary Festival from March 17 to 19.
Noorul Amin revealed that the event’s management committee would be co-chaired by former Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Fuad Hasan Fuad, former CDA chief Kamran Lashari, and literary personality Adeel Hashmi.
This announcement is part of the chairman’s efforts to focus on sector development, as well as a drive to streamline the revenue section.
It is also worth noting that the CDA is planning to introduce a new model for public service initiatives, allowing the private sector to run various projects on a lease basis.
In addition, the authority has undertaken structural reforms, establishing three independent agencies to improve service delivery: The Building Control Authority, The Solid Waste Management Agency, and the Parks and Horticulture Authority.
Meanwhile, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), has urged CDA to prioritise the development of G-9 Markaz. The development includes the resurfacing of roads, the repair of footpaths, the construction of a parking plaza, the installation of a filtration plant, and the restoration of streetlights.