RAWALPINDI, Nov 3: In response to the request made by Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) to provide Rs450 million for the on-going multi-million Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project, the federal government on Thursday released only Rs30 million.

Sources told Dawn that the project was launched in December 2010 and the federal government had so far released Rs100 million to lay main water supply lines from Sangjani Filtration Plant and construct 12 water reservoirs in the cantonment areas.

They said that the federal government had allocated Rs150 million in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) but failed to release the promised funds due to the financial constrains.

They said that the finance ministry officials informed the RCB and Military Lands and Cantonments officials that the government had recently given a bail-out package to the Railways and it had to give funds to other organisations so at present it was not possible to release more funds to the cantonment board.

They said that the RCB made it clear that it would not complete the project by end of 2012 if the government failed to provide required funds to the civic body. However, they said that the finance ministry officials were hopeful that the government would release the required funds soon to complete the project on time.

When contacted, RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan said that the federal government injected Rs30 million in the ongoing Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project and more funds would be released soon.

He said that the RCB demanded Rs450 million but the released funds would be sufficient to continue the work for two months. He expressed hope that the project would be completed in stipulated timeframe.

He said that the RCB wanted to start the water supply to the residential areas in next summer and the water supply lines would be laid in all the cantonment areas through the released funds.

He said that the more funds were required for the construction of overhead and underground water tanks. He said that 20 per cent work had been completed and the remaining would likely to be complete by next December.