LAHORE: The Local Government and Community Development Department (LG&CD) on Saturday approved its annual budget of Rs3.22 billion for the Punjab Local Government Board.

Under the budget, a seven per cent increase in the salaries of employees in BS-1 to BS-22 was approved in accordance with the Revised Pay Scales 2026 and Ad-hoc Relief Allowance 2026. A 3.5 per cent increase in pensions of retired employees was alsoapproved.

In a meeting presided over by LGCD Secretary Zaid Bin Maqsood, the participants reviewed the financial and administrative affairs, the Local Government Service employees` issues and recruitment progress.

Punjab Local Government Board Secretary Ahmer Sohail Kaifi briefed the LGCD secretary on administrative and servicerelated matters, while Finance Director Abdul Ghaffar Vaince presented the annual budget for the 2026-27 fiscal.

The meeting allowed allocation of the amount of Rs1.5 billion for the payment of pensions, Rs753 million for employees` salaries, and Rs60 million for the families of deceased employees.

Regarding the Local Government Service, the secretary was informed that the recruitment process for 271employees had been completed.

LDA BUDGET: The governing body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in its meeting approved the LDA and Tepa budget of Rs88.613 billion for the fiscal year 2026-27, with a revenue target of Rs47 billion for the authority.

The meeting of the LDA governing body was held under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman Mian Marghoob Ahmad. The authority set a revenue target of Rs17 billion for town planning and Rs19.2 billion for sales and allotment, including Rs15 billion to be generated from the LDA City.

The Punjab government has allocated Rs10 billion as a loan for structure-plan roads and Rs6.3 billion for schemes under the Annual Development Programme (ADP). A sum of Rs12.5 billion was earmarked for development works in LDA City, Rs13.5 billion for sustainable development andurban regeneration, and Rs4 billion for LDA Avenue One.

The body also approved amendments to the LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2019. It approved a pilot project for the provision of maintenance and other services in LDA Avenue One, Jubilee Town and LDA Enclave. Under the project, maintenance charges will be imposed on residential and commercial properties measuring three, five, seven and 10 marlas and one kanal. The LDA will provide the services free of charge for the first two months in the three schemes.

The meeting also approved a proposal to develop and marl(et commercial plots on 118 kanals of land along the Ferozepur Road near Arfa Karim Tower as the LDA Tech Park. Commercial plots measuring one kanal, 15 marlas and eight marlas will be offered in the project.