Latest news with #RawalpindiCantonmentBoard
Express Tribune
20-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Eid cattle market opens in Rawalpindi
With Eidul Azha falling in the first week of June, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has awarded the contract for the largest livestock market, valued at Rs165.7 million. The market for sacrificial animals set up at Bhatta Ground has started receiving sacrificial animals from across the country to facilitate the residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. However, the contractor is still liable to pay 50% of the remaining dues under the contract and is also obligated to pay Rs16.5m in income tax. In light of previous instances where contractors fled without clearing dues and taxes, the Board has taken a more vigilant approach this year. Monitoring of the cattle market has been significantly tightened. The contract to set up the livestock market at Bhatta Ground was awarded to Moin & Co for Rs165.7m. Fifty percent of the contract amount has already been received, while recovery of the remaining 50% is still pending. Sources in the RCB indicate that the final approval letter for the contract has not yet been issued. Once issued, the contractor will be required to pay the remaining dues to the board and the Rs16.5m in income tax to the government within seven days. Meanwhile, livestock from across the country has started arriving at Bhatta Ground, and the pace is expected to pick up from June 1. Traders from all over Pakistan will bring cows, bulls, calves, camels, goats, and sheep to the market. However, this year, prices of sacrificial animals are expected to be higher than last year, making it more difficult for buyers to find animals within their budget. To ensure the success of the official cattle market, the Board has imposed a ban on the sale of sacrificial animals on roads, open plots, private enclosures, and walled areas throughout the cantonment. Selling animals outside the Bhatta Ground market will not be allowed, and enforcement teams have been formed to take action against violators. On the other hand, collecting the remaining 50% of the contract dues and the Rs16.5m income tax from the contractor has become a major challenge for the RCB. According to sources, monitoring teams from the board will oversee the livestock market operations and ensure timely recovery of all outstanding payments and taxes. Meanwhile, the twin cities are abuzz with activity as vendors and buyers alike prepare for the festive occasion. The markets, set up in various locations, offer goats, cows and other livestock for sacrifice. Buyers can be seen haggling over prices, inspecting the health and quality of the animals and negotiating with vendors.
Express Tribune
30-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
RCB prepares Rs7.5b interim budget
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has prepared an interim, balanced budget amounting to Rs7.5954 billion for the fiscal year 202526. The preliminary approval was granted during a board meeting attended by both elected and nominated members, while the final approval will be issued by the competent authority, the regional director of Military Lands and Cantonments (MLC). According to sources, the new budget allocates Rs350 million for new works and Rs320 million for maintenance and repairs (M&R). An amount of Rs3.208 billion has been set aside for pensions. A significant portion of the budget will be spent on non-developmental expenditures, including utilities such as electricity, gas, telephone, POL (petroleum, oil, lubricants), stores, workshops, water supply, and sanitation. The previous fiscal year's budget (202425) stood at Rs6.59971 billion, with Rs500 million allocated to original works and Rs310 million to M&R.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
RCB eyes higher revenue by year-end
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has achieved record revenue collection, surpassing its set target. Revenue teams have been instructed to maintain momentum until June 30 for further recovery. According to reports, from July 1, 2023, to March 25, 2024, the RCB collected Rs2.462 billion in revenue. In contrast, during the current fiscal year, from July 1, 2024, to March 24, 2025, the board has already collected Rs3.253 billion, which is Rs790 million more than the previous year. In terms of property tax, Rs1.087 billion has been collected so far, compared to Rs944 million last year, showing an increase of Rs143 million. The recovery of water charges has reached Rs252 million, up from Rs239 million last year. Commercial rent recovery has seen Rs144.63 million, compared to Rs138 million the previous year. In terms of parking fees, Rs33.35 million has been collected this year, a significant rise from Rs14.65 million last year. For tower and antenna revenue, the amount collected is Rs46.33 million, up from Rs34.73 million in the previous year.
Express Tribune
28-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Pindi cracks down on illegal slaughterhouses
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board's (RCB) Food Control Cell has launched a crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses, vendors selling meat from sick and ageing animals, and businesses violating hygiene regulations. According to a spokesperson for the RCB, authorities seized and destroyed unsafe meat, bakery items, general store products, and substandard cooking oil. The board has imposed fines exceeding Rs10 million this year. Following orders from Cantonment Executive Officer Ali Irfan Rizvi and Deputy Cantonment Executive Officer Nasir Kamal, Food Control Cell in-charge Haroon Zafar and his team conducted a raid in People's Colony, where they uncovered an illegal slaughterhouse.
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
RCB issues notices for property reassessment
RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has issued thousands of notices for the reassessment of residential and commercial buildings located along the median strip between Peshawar Road and Colonel Sher Khan Shaheed Road. The move follows the resolution of a longstanding municipal boundary dispute with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) by the federal cabinet. The reassessment, once completed, is expected to generate an additional annual revenue of Rs2 billion for the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB). Property owners receiving notices have been directed to submit ownership and other relevant documents to the RCB within 15 days. Failure to comply will result in a fine of Rs10,000 per property. According to sources, the municipal boundary dispute between the RCB and CDA, dating back to 1980, was settled following a federal cabinet decision. As a result, the cantonment board has begun reassessing properties in the newly designated municipal areas under its jurisdiction. Notices have been issued for document submission, while property owners with outstanding tax liabilities are receiving warning notices. According to a completed assessment covering properties worth Rs6 billion, tax notices were now being sent to owners who had previously withheld payments, citing the boundary dispute. Meanwhile, unassessed properties were under review, with owners required to provide the necessary documentation for tax evaluation. The RCB is reportedly facing severe financial strain, struggling to pay staff salaries on time and clear outstanding payments to contractors for completed development projects. A significant portion of the board's budget is allocated to salaries, utility services, and operational expenses, leaving minimal funds for infrastructure development. With the recent boundary resolution, the RCB expects an annual revenue boost of Rs2 billion from property tax collection. Tax Superintendent Muhammad Siddiq stated that the reassessed areas have been categorised into two groupsone where assessments are complete and Rs6 billion in unpaid taxes are due, and another where assessments are pending, requiring document submissions from property owners. Assistant Secretary and RCB spokesperson Rashid Saqib confirmed that Cantonment Executive Officer Ali Irfan Rizvi has directed strict enforcement of tax collection under a zero-tolerance policy. All measures, he assured, will be implemented within the legal framework. The RCB was established in 1849, with its boundaries formally defined in 1957. In contrast, the CDA was formed in 1960, with Islamabad's district limits finalised in 1963. The municipal boundary dispute led to legal battles in various courts, ultimately resulting in a Supreme Court directive for the federal cabinet to resolve the issue.
