Daska drainage project to be completed in May
The project will be completed by May 15.
He said the completion of the project would enable immediate drainage of rainwater from the city and 300,000 citizens would benefit from it.
The minister was reviewing the arrangements for possible monsoon rains in Daska along with relevant officials.
He said work was under way on a comprehensive urban development project under the Punjab Cities Development Programme in Daska in collaboration with the provincial government and the World Bank.
The provincial minister said a major problem of the city was the drainage of water from low-lying areas, which would be resolved with the completion of the projects.
He said work was also under way on the expansion project of Shehbaz Sharif Recreation Park, as well as dozens of road infrastructure and street lighting schemes simultaneously.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
20 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Donors for power tariff cut sought
Listen to article The government on Friday pitched a new package before foreign donors for up to Rs10.5 per unit reduction in prices on additional use of electricity by industrial and agricultural sector consumers to boost demand, which had dipped by one-fifth due to unaffordable prices. The Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Laghari, shared the broader contours of the Industrial Support Package (2026-28) with over a dozen representatives of international development organisations to seek their diplomatic support to reduce prices. The package appeared to be gaining traction with lenders, but their observations centred on the sustainability of the increase in demand and the viability of the national grid electricity. They raised concerns about relying solely on price signals to boost dwindling electricity demand instead of implementing comprehensive reforms in the energy sector, which include ensuring the reliability of the national grid power. The response of the power minister was awaited until the time of filing this story. Government officials stated that the Power Division had informed foreign donors it wanted to introduce a support package for a period of three years (2026-28) and was counting on their support. Among the participants were the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and other regional and international development organisations. According to the proposal, the government wants to reduce the current average electricity price of Rs33.5 per unit by Rs10.5, but only on the incremental use of electricity. It has proposed that industrial connection rates will be set at Rs22.98 per unit. For the agricultural sector, the rate will be the same, but the benefits will be Rs7.77 per unit due to the current Rs30.75 per unit price. Foreign diplomats were informed that the price reduction would only apply to additional electricity use compared to consumption from December 2023 to November 2024. In cases where no reference consumption is available, the higher consumption of the relevant month or the sanctioned load will be used for comparison. The government claimed that the new package would be a subsidy and cost-neutral, and should neutralise any opposition from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this time. The IMF had rejected a similar package last year due to its implications for other consumers. According to the proposal, the Rs3.23 per unit debt servicing surcharge and the quarterly tariff adjustment will not apply to the industrial support package. However, this exclusion could hurt residential consumers, whose debt servicing surcharge may increase further to raise sufficient funds to retire the Rs1.2 trillion debt acquired from banks to address circular debt. A government functionary noted an element of discrimination, as large numbers of consumers in Sindh might shift to the national grid due to high gas prices, making them eligible for incremental benefits compared to Punjab-based industries that already rely heavily on the national grid. Due to unaffordability, industrial consumers are increasingly moving away from the national electricity grid. Industrial electricity demand dropped by 20% over the past two years. Consequently, the number of net-metered industrial consumers surged to nearly 6,900 in fiscal year 2024, compared to just 1,570 in 2022. Electricity tariffs for industrial consumers in Pakistan are among the highest in the region. Compared to about US16 cents per unit locally, electricity costs US9 cents in India and US10 cents in Bangladesh, Pakistan's two biggest competitors in global markets. However, concerns remain about the sustainability of the package and whether such price reductions can be beneficial without addressing the underlying issues in the power sector. Foreign diplomats were briefed on reforms the government is undertaking. One participant told The Express Tribune that, upon inquiry, it appeared all such initiatives were falling behind extended deadlines. The competitive market is not yet operational, and the government told participants it may become operational in September. Disputes over wheeling charges persist, and the revised Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan is also facing delays. The privatisation of power distribution companies has not been accelerated, and the government remains unwilling to end the uniform electricity price policy, which penalises Punjab-based consumers for theft in other provinces. A major lender inquired about the excess generation capacity claim, questioning whether the system can generate power equal to the installed capacity and if the transmission system can handle the full load. Sources said there were also concerns about the viability of increased demand once the package ends. Evidence from similar industrial support packages in the past showed that demand spikes were typically modest and did not result in sustained grid dependence. Sources added that potential risks exist that the actual costs of this package might exceed the proposed marginal rate, particularly during the summer season. One major view was that any effort to restore industrial demand through a support package should be made under a broader framework that balances both price and non-price elements. Implementation risks, grid reliability, and service quality remain critical blind spots that could limit the package's success. Donors advised the government to restore industrial demand on the grid through a combination of reliable service delivery and sector-wide planning, rather than relying on reactive short-term measures.
Business Recorder
22 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Bridging the financial gap: insights from Karandaaz Financial Inclusion Survey (K-FIS)—I
While health and education have traditionally dominated the human development and public policy agenda globally, financial inclusion has increasingly emerged as a critical development goal over the past decade and a half. The rationale is straightforward: by integrating the underbanked, underserved, and financially excluded populations into the formal financial system, economies can become more resilient and inclusive. Access to financial services – such as bank accounts, credit, savings, and insurance – empowers individuals and simultaneously expands the formal economy, enhancing government capacity to raise revenue and deliver essential public goods and services. In Pakistan, financial inclusion remains low when measured as the percentage of working-age individuals (15+) who own a bank account. According to the Karandaaz Financial Inclusion Survey (K-FIS) 2024, only 35 percent of Pakistani adults are financially included. Although this marks a 3.5-fold increase since the World Bank's inaugural Findex Survey in 2011, when the figure stood at 10 percent, Pakistan still trails its regional peers. As of 2021, financial inclusion stood at 77.5 percent in India, 54 percent in Nepal, 89.3 percent in Sri Lanka, and 52.8 percent in Bangladesh. The South Asian average was 67.9 percent. Digging deeper into the 2024 K-FIS findings reveals significant disparities within Pakistani society. One of the most glaring is the gender gap. Only 14 percent of women are financially included, compared to 56 percent of men. While limited financial literacy plays a role (as confirmed by the data), deeper structural factors also contribute. Women's limited agency in household decision-making is a critical issue: only 11 percent of women report having a say in financial matters, whether it's saving, purchasing assets like livestock, or deciding on household consumption. Digital literacy is another barrier, with men scoring 65 versus women's 48 on self-reported ability to use mobile phones, send texts, and navigate social media platforms. The survey underscores that financial exclusion for women is not just a matter of access, but also of societal norms and intra-household dynamics. Ali Akbar Ghanghro (Senior Manager Research & Insights, Karandaaz Pakistan) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Wolrd Bank approves $55m in additional financing to Discos
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved additional $55 million to Distribution Companies (Discos) under the Electricity Distribution Efficiency Improvement Project, sources told Business Recorder. 'The delegate authority of the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has approved, on June 27,2025, the International Development Association (IDA) additional financing in the amount of $55 million to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Electricity Distribution Efficiency Improvement Project,' the sources quoted WB as saying in a letter to Economic Affairs Division. Technical discussions were held on June 18, 2205 at the World Bank's Islamabad office. The additional financing aims to further enhance the operational and financial performance of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) through the scaled deployment of Asset Performance Management Systems (APMS). World Bank may give extra $50m financing to Discos Both HESCO and PESCO, currently among the poorest-performing Discos, have not been slated for privatisation so far. The additional financing is fully aligned with the project's development objectives, which include improving operational efficiency in targeted areas of selected distribution companies, supporting progress on the power sector reform agenda, and advancing the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) between the Government of Pakistan and the World Bank. During negotiations, discussions covered the draft Financing Agreement between the Government of Pakistan (the Recipient) and the World Bank (the Association), the draft Project Agreements with HESCO and PESCO (the Project Implementing Entities), the draft Project Paper (PP), the Disbursement and Financial Information Letter (DFIL), and the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP). In line with the World Bank's Access to Information Policy, once a project is approved by the Country Director for financing, the Association publicly discloses the PP, legal agreements, and other relevant documentation. The Association may also release the PP upon its distribution to the Board, subject to the Recipient's consent. Discos will share data contained in the PP that may be confidential or sensitive and could potentially impact the relationship between the World Bank and the Government of Pakistan. Suggested revisions to the PP's wording were discussed to resolve any issues related to its release. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
