Latest news with #109
The Sun
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Over RM27 million development projects approved for first quarter in Negeri Sembilan
SEREMBAN: The current status of development projects (expenditure) approved in Negeri Sembilan for the first quarter of this year from January to March is RM27,043,020.12 out of the approved allocation of RM135 million, the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) was told today. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the highest 3-vote expenditure performance was recorded for the first quarter of the 2025 financial year (FY) for Vote P50 (Menteri Besar) with an expenditure percentage of RM22,109,690 or 49.13 per cent. 'Also Vote P63 (Islamic Religious Affairs Department) for RM1,311,850.17 with an expenditure percentage of 21.16 per cent and Vote P54 (JPS) RM1,316,469.25 with an expenditure percentage of 12.36 per cent,' he said at the DUN sitting here today in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (BN-Rantau), represented by Datuk Zaifulbahri Idris (BN-Chembong), who wanted to know the current status of approved development projects for the first quarter of FY2025. He explained that the total number of projects recorded up to the first quarter of FY2025 based on the Development Vote was 361 projects. 'Regarding the physical status of the projects, 31 projects are in the 'not yet started' category, 177 projects are in (pre-implementation); 143 projects (in implementation); 10 projects (completed),' he said. Meanwhile, Aminuddin said the current balance of the state government's loan with the federal government is RM937,788,903.29, until Dec 31, 2024. According to him, since 2016, the state government has not had any new loans or debts with the federal government. 'Every year the state government without fail tries to pay off this debt according to the state government's ability or financial position where the current balance of the loan until Dec 31, 2024 is RM937,788,903.29. 'Meanwhile, the allocation for debt payments has been increased from RM1 million to RM3 million this year under the T04 liability vote - government debt payment. The RM3 million payment was also made on Feb 27,' he said in reply to a question from P. Gunasekaren (PH-Seremban Jaya) who asked about the status of the debt between the state government and the federal government.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress leader's arrest in Indore on attempt to murder charge is BJP's act of vengeance, says party
NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Monday protested the arrest of Chintu Choukse , opposition leader in the Indore Municipal Corporation , who was charged with attempted murder following a clash with BJP worker Kapil Pathak over a parked tractor, calling it a politically motivated action by the ruling BJP. The incident occurred on Saturday night in the Hira Nagar area when Choukse and his family members got into an altercation with Pathak regarding the removal of a tractor parked in front of their house. Pathak sustained serious head injuries during the confrontation. Police arrested Choukse under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita section 109 for attempted murder, and he was placed in central jail under judicial custody. "The BJP has forgotten humanity in its arrogance of power. Choukse has been arrested by registering a false case against him due to political animosity. There is no case of attempt to murder against him," said Congress's Madhya Pradesh in-charge Harish Chaudhary after meeting Choukse in jail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest $200 in Amazon without buying stocks to earn a second salary Marketsall Sign Up Undo Chaudhary noted that Choukse's nephew was seriously injured in the brawl and remains under 48-hour hospital observation, but proper action against the accused has not been taken. He vowed to fight for Choukse "from the streets to the court." State Congress President Jitu Patwari, who accompanied Chaudhary to meet Choukse, said, "Choukse raised questions about the payment of Rs 2,000 crore of fake bills in the IMC. He raised the issue of corruption in the city's metro project. He was implicated in a false case of attempted murder to suppress the voice of the opposition." Patwari also accused the police of taking biased action against opposition leaders under pressure from the ruling BJP.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio students plead with lawmakers for free breakfast and lunch in schools
Olentangy Orange High School Senior Connor Morrison and other students urge Ohio lawmakers to make breakfast and lunch free for K-12 schools. (Photo by Morgan Trau, WEWS.) A group of high schoolers from across Ohio rallied at the Statehouse Tuesday, pleading with lawmakers to make breakfast and lunch free for students. School lunch isn't just a period to socialize with your friends, they said, it can be a lifeline for kids. 'They helped to make sure we had a meal every day that we were at school, 'cause that might not have always been the case at home when my mom was going through everything,' said Corbin Eaton, a junior at Antwerp High School in Paulding County. Data from Feeding America reports that 1 in 5 Ohio children is unsure of where their next meal is coming from. Eaton was one of them. But once his school got involved and helped offer free and reduced lunches, he knew he could get through the day. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I think that without them, we wouldn't be able to eat every day during school, which makes our academic performance lower than what it should be,' he said about the importance of lunch. It would cost $300 million per fiscal year to provide meals for all public and charter schools in the state, which is less than 1% of the proposed state budget. The students are hoping to get this in the state budget, but they are also agreeable to a bill that would accomplish the exact same thing that was just recently introduced. State Sens. Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Township, and Kent Smith, D-Euclid, introduced the bipartisan S.B. 109, which would provide free breakfast and lunch to public and chartered nonpublic school students. Bipartisan Ohio Senate bill aims to pay for public school breakfast and lunch Donovan O'Neil with conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity warned about the price tag. 'When we hear ideas floated out there that would increase the obligation that the state has, whether it's for school lunches or something else, we're going to throw up the caution flag and encourage folks to take a good hard look if this is really where the state needs to be prioritizing its spending,' O'Neil said. The budget isn't just a concern for advocates like O'Neil — it is for schools, too. Ohio Republican leadership has proposed cutting more than $650 million in public education funding. Republicans in U.S. Congress are also looking at making cuts that would slash national school meal programs, with impacts for 280,000 Ohio kids. And now, there is another Ohio bill that educators say could increase costs for them. H.B. 145 would increase the number of instructional hours in K-12 schools from a minimum of 1,001 hours to 1,054. 'The more time students spend on meaningful learning, the better they're going to perform academically,' state Rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, said. More than 280,000 Ohio kids would be impacted by proposed national school meal program cuts This is an effort, in part, to make up for learning loss during the pandemic, Bird added during his news conference introducing the legislation. But Parma City Schools Superintendent Charles Smialek said that with the way the state keeps cutting the budget for public schools, they will be forced to decrease the amount of classes. 'You would eliminate electives,' Smialek said. 'You would be looking at, 'what exactly does it take to graduate from high school and then eliminate anything else.' This is an unfunded mandate, he argued, telling the lawmakers they can't both cut their funding and increase the hours teachers need to be in school. They would be forced to cut staff with budget cuts. Plus, more instructional time drives home how important meals are. The students at the Statehouse remain optimistic. 'I think something, hopefully, will get done about it,' Eaton said. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Ohio schools could offer free breakfasts and lunches to students
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio lawmakers are reaching across the aisle to provide free breakfast and lunch for students. Senate Bill 109 would provide no-cost breakfast and lunch to public and charter schools that opt in to the national school breakfast and lunch programs. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) and Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid). Blessing said not only would S.B. 109 help families, it would do so at little cost to the state. Under the legislation, the state would reimburse public and charter schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and its breakfast counterpart. Low-income students are eligible to receive reduced-price or free meals through the program, and each qualifying meal served receives federal reimbursement. Under S.B. 109, the state, rather than the school districts, would cover the costs that are not federally reimbursed. Fines for passing a school bus could double in Ohio Blessing said academic performance in Ohio is strongly linked to poverty, with districts in poorer areas performing worse. Smith seconded this, pointing out that the number of homeless students in Ohio has doubled over the last decade. Both senators told NBC4 they believe this legislation will help fuel students for success. 'I am convinced this is going to improve test scores in the long run,' Blessing said. Blessing said it would not only reduce costs for families, but it would positively affect students. He said truancy is an issue in Ohio, and free meals could serve as a good incentive for students to attend school. Families would also be able to save time in the mornings by not needing to prepare breakfast or pack lunches. 'Ensuring a student gets two out of their three daily meals will help them advance academically, emotionally and physically,' Smith said. 'Kids only make up 22% of Ohio's population, but they are 100% of our future. By providing basic existence needs to Ohio kids, we are investing in our future workforce.' Ramaswamy launches campaign for governor Currently, at least five central Ohio school districts are part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, which gives state reimbursement on top of the federal funds. For non-CEP districts, students pay an average of $1.43 for breakfast, $2.83 for elementary lunches, $3.11 for middle school lunches and $3.41 for high school lunches. This means the average high schooler would owe more than $600 if they bought lunch every school day. Blessing said the legislation could save Ohio families thousands. S.B 109 would also remove financial weight from school districts that currently balance these costs. Bexley City Schools, for instance, does not qualify for CEP participation but allocates $100,000 to ensure all students have access to free breakfast. Bexley does opt in to the National School Lunch Program, so S.B. 109 would alleviate these costs. Proposed LGBTQ+ discrimination ban loses support Blessing said some constituents have voiced concerns about the cost of the legislation. He said S.B. 109 would cost the state $297 million annually, which the legislation proposes to come out of the state's general revenue fund's line item 'school meal programs.' He said for a state with a $100 billion budget, that cost is fairly inexpensive for the outcome. Further, he said, it would not require property taxes, with no increased cost to families. The General Assembly is currently considering options for the biennial budget, which will go into effect in July. Recommendations from Gov. Mike DeWine would have about 15% of the budget go toward education. See previous coverage of the state's budget in the video player above. The bill has been referred to the Finance Committee but does not yet have a scheduled hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
