The Punjab government has allocated an amount of Rs 8,500 million in the budget 2011-12 for urban development sector, which is higher than the revised allocation of Rs 8105 million for the year 2010-11. As per budget document 2011-12, major emphasis is on completion of ongoing schemes to develop urban centres, which can serve as engine for economic growth.
The urban development sector covers developmental projects sponsored by WASA and development authorities of the large cities ie Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Multan; and district governments of some cities.
The policy interventions include defining city limits and streamline functional and operational alignments of district governments, development authorities, Wasa and TEPA etc, updating legislation for empowered, responsive, efficient and accountable city governments, ensuring the road and plinth levels as per the rules, SOPs and protocols, reviewing and rationalising all levies, fees and rating areas, encouraging greater 'own-revenue' generation by CDGs/WASAs/DAs with matching provincial grants, preparation of Capital Investment and Asset Management plans, linking of new schemes to Capital Investment Plan (CIP) of the city, provincial master planning to guide all future investments and mandatory submission of PC-IV / PC-V documents for all completed projects.
Strategic interventions include supply of potable drinking water and its efficient use through initiation of comprehensive water supply schemes for large cities, replacement of rusted pipes and laying of new water supply lines, installation of water meters (Bulk/Domestic/ Commercial), rehabilitation/ upgradation of water purification facilities. As per budget document 2011-12, in total 67 schemes including 45 ongoing and 22 new have been proposed for urban development. An amount of Rs 2943 million has been allocated for ongoing schemes while Rs 4327 million for new schemes.
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