Staff reporter
Islamabad,: Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Muhammad Ali Randhawa, chaired an important meeting where a team from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the senior officers of CDA participated in it. In the meeting, FCDO presented their findings from the CDA Scoping Mission Report which outlined potential areas where the FCDO could provide their technical support and cooperation to improve overall CDA’s working and operations.The discussion focused on key areas analyzed for potential support: the property tax regime, own-source revenue, solid waste management, climate governance, and asset management with public-private partnerships (PPP). Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated that the goal of these initiatives is to enhance the overall efficiency of the CDA’s operations.During the meeting, the FCDO team recommended strengthening CDA’s revenue generation capacity by conducting an Own-Source Revenue (OSR) Diagnostic Study and introducing a SAP system to streamline financial management. This would enable CDA to better mobilize its own resources for urban development projects. Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa directed the Finance Wing to implement the SAP as soon as possible.The importance of climate governance was also highlighted. The FCDO proposed establishing a Climate Finance Unit within the CDA to spearhead climate-focused projects. Additionally, the FCDO would assist in preparing a PC-I project proposals, which could attract international funding from entities such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and Adaptation Fund (AF).Another key area of discussion was asset management. The FCDO team recommended developing a comprehensive Asset Management Plan for non-financial public assets to optimize their usage and ensure long-term sustainability.Chairman Randhawa expressed his appreciation for the FCDO’s insights and emphasized the significance of these initiatives in improving the working of CDA and stressed the need to take the practical steps in implementing these initiatives. He reaffirmed the CDA’s commitment to working closely with the FCDO for a modern, vibrant and better Islamabad.
