Latest news with #Rs440
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
ADB, Sindh launch Rs440m initiative
Listen to article The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in collaboration with the Government of Sindh, has launched a Rs440 million business recovery and empowerment initiative for families impacted by the 2022 floods. According to a statement issued on Wednesday, ADB's Gender Specialist Judha Bukhari led a delegation to Hyderabad on Wednesday and held a strategic meeting with the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders & Small Industry (HCSTSI). During the meeting, Bukhari stated that 2.1 million families were affected by the floods and, in the first phase, over 6,000 households will receive financial assistance ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs300,000 to help them establish small businesses suited to their needs. She said the aim is to empower vulnerable communities through sustainable livelihoods and appreciated HCSTSI's support in conducting the upcoming business survey in Hyderabad. HCSTSI Acting President Ahmed Idrees Chohan lauded the initiative as a timely effort to help women and youth achieve financial independence. He highlighted business models such as tailoring, tiffin services, and e-commerce training. Vice President Shan Sehgal emphasised the potential of hospitality and food ventures, citing Bangladesh's success with women-led microenterprises. He called for youth training in marketing and technical skills to foster self-sufficient businesses. The meeting was attended by ADB officials and HCSTSI members, including former president Muhammad Akram Ansari.
Gulf News
04-05-2025
- Gulf News
Indian Railways announces tougher travel rules: New reservation guidelines and penalties
Dubai: Indian Railways has enforced new rules, effective May 1, 2025, that prohibit passengers with waiting list tickets from boarding Sleeper or Air-Conditioned (AC) coaches, according to media reports. The restriction covers all bookings, whether made online via IRCTC or at railway counters. Consequently, only passengers with confirmed tickets will now be allowed to travel in reserved compartments. What's changed? This new rule applies to all tickets, whether booked online through IRCTC or bought at railway counters. Passengers with waiting list tickets are now required to travel in general (unreserved) coaches, which do not require prior reservations. Fines for violations Passengers found occupying Sleeper or AC coaches with waiting list tickets will be treated as unauthorised travellers. As per the new rules: A fine of up to Rs250 will be levied for unauthorised travel in Sleeper class. A fine of up to Rs440 will be imposed in AC coaches. Additional charges may apply from the boarding point to the next station. Strict enforcement by TTEs Traveling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) have been instructed to strictly enforce the new policy. Offenders will be deboarded at the next station and penalized accordingly, the report added. General coaches are the only option Passengers with unconfirmed tickets must travel in General (unreserved) coaches, which do not require prior reservations. This change is aimed at reducing overcrowding in reserved compartments and improving the travel experience for confirmed passengers. Advance booking period cut to 60 days In another change, the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) has been reduced from 120 days to 60 days. Passengers can now book tickets only two months in advance. OTP verification made mandatory For added security, One-Time Password (OTP) verification via mobile number is now required for all online ticket bookings on IRCTC platforms. Why the change? Citing persistent issues with overcrowding and discomfort in reserved coaches, Indian Railways aims to streamline operations and improve passenger experience. 'The main goal of these modifications is to reduce crowding in reserved compartments,' TOI reported. 'Indian Railways hopes to make travel more orderly and enjoyable by limiting passengers on waiting lists to ordinary coaches.'
Express Tribune
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Women attack officials over illegal BISP deduction
Angry women protested against the illegal deduction from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) allocation and attacked the director of BISP and device holders in Badin. The director and staff were forced to flee by climbing over the center's boundary wall to escape the fury of the enraged beneficiaries. According to reports, the protest erupted at the BISP center set up at Badin Technical College during a visit by Taufiq Channa, Director of BISP. As soon as Channa arrived, dozens of women who had gathered to receive their payments began shouting slogans and physically attacking device holders, accusing them of deducting portions of their cash disbursements. Eyewitnesses reported that some device holders were caught and beaten by the women, who forced them to publicly apologize. Staff at the center had to help the director scale the wall to escape, after which the disbursement of funds was suspended. Sources claim that an estimated Rs440 million is illegally deducted from installments meant for over 150,000 women in the district each cycle. Allegations suggest that these funds are being pocketed by a nexus of device operators, BISP officials, local police, and so-called social activists and journalists. Three device operators were reportedly arrested earlier after an Express Newspaper report prompted action from local authorities, but no permanent solution has been implemented, and complaints of deductions persist. Meanwhile, the device holders have offered a justification of their own, claiming they are forced to pay kickbacks to political figures, local influentials, and others - including police and journalists - leaving them with no choice but to deduct amounts from beneficiaries. Following the chaos, all disbursements at the Technical College center were halted.
Express Tribune
09-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Food consumers face rampant overpricing in metropolis
Overpricing remained rampant this week with the official rates of essential food items, including fruits, vegetables and meat, largely ignored in the markets in the city. The official poultry rate list remained unchanged for the third week with sellers complaining of unrealistic prices. They said chicken meat prices, like those of other perishable goods, were affected by the supply and demand on a daily basis. The official price of live chicken was set between Rs397 and Rs411 per kg, but it was sold at Rs460 to Rs480 per kg. Chicken meat was officially priced at Rs595, while market rates ranged between Rs670 and Rs740 per kg. Boneless chicken was listed at Rs1,000 to Rs1,100 in different areas of the metropolis. Vegetable prices also saw significant differences. Potatoes were officially priced at Rs50 to Rs55 per kg but sold at Rs80 to Rs100. The official rate for onions was Rs60 to Rs65 per kg, while market prices reached Rs80 to Rs100 per kg. Tomatoes, priced officially at Rs45 to Rs50 per kg, were sold between Rs100 and Rs120 per kg. Local garlic was officially set at Rs300 but was available in the market for Rs500 per kg. Ginger had an official rate of Rs360 to Rs375 per kg but was sold at Rs400 to Rs600. Farm cucumbers were priced officially at Rs52 to Rs55 per kg but were sold between Rs80 and Rs120 per kg. Brinjal was fixed at Rs57 to Rs60 per kg but was sold at Rs100 to Rs120 per kg. Bitter gourd, which had an official rate of Rs162 to Rs170 per kg, was sold at Rs280 to Rs300 per kg. Fruit prices also showed similar discrepancies. Apples were priced between Rs170 and Rs325 per kg officially, yet market prices ranged from Rs250 to Rs600 per kg. A-category bananas had an official price of Rs250 to Rs260 per dozen but were sold for Rs350 to Rs400 per dozen. Guavas, fixed at Rs160 to Rs220 per kg, were available in the markets at Rs250 to Rs300 per kg. Kinow, officially priced at Rs180 to Rs425 per dozen, was sold for Rs400 to Rs700 per dozen. Pomegranates of the Danaydar variety were set at Rs420 to Rs440 per kg but sold at Rs600 to Rs800 per kg. Strawberries had an official price of Rs200 to Rs465 per kg, yet market rates reached Rs350 to Rs450 per kg.
Express Tribune
16-02-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
K-P releases Rs440m to settle IHP salaries
PESHAWAR: On the directives of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali, Rs440 million has been released to clear three months' pending salaries of over 4,500 employees of the Integrated Health Program (IHP). In his statement, the Health Advisor assured that all employees would receive their salaries before Ramazan. He instructed the relevant authorities to ensure timely transfers of payments to employees' accounts without delay. Emphasizing the need for reforms to streamline project operations, he stated that no employee's salary would be withheld. "There is no place in my team for those who cannot deliver," he asserted. Expressing concern over frequent salary delays and protests for project extensions, Ehtesham Ali directed officials to begin preparations for the upcoming budget immediately. He urged consultations with stakeholders to ensure efficient financial planning and prevent such disruptions in the future. The advisor further stated that the next Annual Development Program (ADP) would include only those schemes that enhance service delivery and benefit the public, rather than launching unnecessary new projects. Background In December 2024, The Express Tribune reported that IHP, jointly managed by the Lady Health Workers (LHWs) program and the nutrition initiative, faces severe financial constraints, hindering its effectiveness. Official sources said that both programs have fallen short of their targets due to insufficient funding. Approximately 4,000 IHP employees have gone without salaries for the past five months, receiving payment only once during this period, according to a health department official. Introduced in 2014 across all four provinces, the IHP underwent challenges after the 18th amendment, requiring individual provinces to create their PC-1 plans. The previous government's Rs7.5 billion PC-1, developed by consultants from Punjab without a baseline survey, displayed numerous shortcomings, including the delayed recruitment of Lady Health Workers and trained community midwives over four years. Despite completing their two-year training, these midwives remain unutilized, incurring significant costs to the health department, supported by international donor organizations. Additionally, LHWs and CMWs lack access to government-provided medicines. The IHP's primary goal is to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth from 165 per 1,000 to 40. Stabilization centers face similar challenges, with no available food supplements despite the declared nutrition emergency in the province. Only Unicef is currently providing food supplements to select districts, while the government struggles to recruit nutrition specialists and purchase food supplements due to financial constraints. Targets for underweight childbirths have been substantially missed, raising concerns about the project's overall efficacy.
