RAWALPINDI: In order to overcome the budget deficit in the next fiscal year, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has asked the Punjab government to increase the annual subsidy from Rs200 million to Rs300 million.

The Punjab government provides Wasa with Rs200 million each year so that the agency does not have to increase the amount it charges for water.

However, Wasa is finding it difficult to meet its expenses and run tube wells for supplying water to the city`s 62 union councils.

The request was sent to the provincial government after the process of drafting a budget for the civic authority had started. Wasa also sent in a proposal for starting uplift schemes for improving the water supply system in the garrison city.

The provincial government does not provide direct funds to the civic agency and funds are released for improving the water supply system in the province under provincial annual development programmes.

`The number of tube wells in the city has increased from 354 to 400 in the current fiscal year which has also increased electricity expenses. That is why we asked the provincial government to increase the subsidy,` Wasa managing director Raja Shaukat Mehmood told Dawn.

After the agency was given the responsibility of Potohar Town`s 12 urban union councils, the number of consumers has also increased, he said, adding that tube wells and other machines were now operating for 12 hours a day which has increased electricity charges in the summer season.

Wasa`s electricity bill has increased from Rs200 million per year to Rs265 million, he said, adding that the additional subsidy will be used in case the bill further increases.

Mr Mehmood said that the agency charged houses of up to seven marlas in the 46 union councils of the city Rs98 per month, which is very low compared to the Rs250 per month that the residents of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board are charged.

Wasa is also working on recovering outstanding amounts from defaulters, he said and that Rs100 million had been collected from water consumers during the current fiscal year.

`We have also introduced incentives for those who do not pay their water charges by waiving the surcharge and the option to pay their dues in instalments,` he said.

Of the agency`s 115,000 water consumers, 10,000 are commercial entities, he said, and that most of the tax recovered is from domestic consumers.