The present local government system introduced three years back was the "best", although power has not yet been fully transferred at grass-roots level as envisaged, observed Nazim City District Government Karachi Naimatullah Khan.
"I hope power will be transferred gradually at grass-roots level."
The Local Government system helped in solving problems of the people in cosmopolitan city of Karachi, which provides 70 percent in revenue per annum to Federal Government, he said.
"I succeeded to a lot of extent in solving problems of Karachiites, particularly in providing infrastructure which was neglected in the past. I have good working relationship with Sindh government, except for interference by provincial minister-adviser" he stated.
"As against annual budget of Rs 5-6 billion for Karachi in year 2001, I presented record enhanced budget of Rs 20.5 billion in 2002, Rs 27 billion in 2003 and Rs 32 billion in 2004. My three budgets were without any new tax," Naimatullah Khan told radio news conference on Sunday in Karachi.
City Nazim said the additional income generated by CDGK in last three years was being spent on development projects, particularly infrastructure in Karachi, not witnessed during the last 55 years.
He spoke of Mass Transit Project in Karachi to be started by a Chinese company with investment of 600 million dollar and said it would be finalised during meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz shortly. Chinese company will make investment of 90 percent while CDGK 10 percent in this project.
He said an MoU was also signed with a United States company to set up water desalination plant in the city with capacity of 50 million gallons daily.
City Nazim said under Rs 29 billion Taimeer Karachi Programme, CDGK
and Sindh government have to provide Rs 6 billion each, Federal government Rs 5 billion, Rs 12 billion by all stakeholders - Port, Qasim, Steel Mill, Karachi Port Trust,, Export Processing Zone Authority, Pakistan Railways, Export Promotion Bureau and Civil Aviation Authority for various mega projects in the city.
He said following directives by President Pervez Musharraf all stakeholders, who use facilities being provided in Karachi have allocated funds and started work on development projects assigned to them.
These include reconstruction of roads, bridge, flyovers, improvement in infrastructure in four industrial areas of Karachi.
Naimatullah Khan said all big roads in the city were being constructed by CDGK according to international standard. Out of three flyovers started by CDGK, two were already operational at Shahrah-e-Faisal and FTC, while third at Shahrah-e-Quaideen will be ready in February next.
He said smoke emitting buses and coaches have been replaced in the city with 300 new CNG buses and another 200 will be inducted by December next. All old smoke emitting buses and coaches were being phased out under Urban Transport Scheme, he added.
He said CDGK had also implemented schemes for further improvement in health and education sectors, including opening of new colleges.
City Nazim said Karachi Building Control Authority KBCA was under the control of CDGK. However, Building Control Act has not yet been repealed, he stated.
Comments
Comments are closed.