The Taman Desa Wawasan residents attending the People’s Participation Project in Bukit Mertajam.

THE state has approved a RM220,000 allocation for the Taman Desa Wawasan public housing project in Bukit Mertajam next year.

Penang Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the amount was a significant increase compared to last year’s allocation of RM83,000.

“A total of RM200,000 is for the installation of equipment in recreational parks, building maintenance and organising of activities for residents,” he said yesterday.

“The remaining RM20,000 will be for upgrading the multipurpose hall,” he added.

He said the increased budget came out of a discussion with residents in May.

Among the issues highlighted at the meeting were the lack of recreational parks and poor maintenance of facilities.

State Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Chong Eng, who was present at the project, urged the residents to be responsible and pay their rent.

She said that although the outstanding rental payments of RM1.7mil reported in May had been reduced, residents needed to honour the remaining debt.

The two 21-storey blocks have a total of 912 units.