Latest news with #815
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Smart cards yet to reach ‘Shakti' scheme beneficiaries
Aadhaar-linked smart cards Despite repeated directions, Karnataka's Transport Department delays smart card rollout under 'Shakti' scheme, raising concerns over tracking and fund misuseDespite spending over Rs.8,815 crore in 23 months (up to April 2024) under the 'Shakti' scheme, which allows women to travel for free on state-run buses in Karnataka, theTransport Department has yet to implement the distribution of smart cards to beneficiaries. This delay has raised questions about the scheme's accountability, beneficiary tracking, and financial Finance Department has repeatedly directed the Transport Department to issue smart cards to eligible women. However, no concrete steps have been taken, leaving the expenditure estimates unreliable and the identification of genuine beneficiaries 'Shakti' scheme, launched on June 11, 2023, was the first of the Karnataka government's five guarantee schemes to be implemented. On the launch day, the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, and Transport Minister flagged off the initiative by issuing free tickets to women passengers. Since then, the scheme has enabled free bus travel for women across the per data available, approximately 459 crore tickets have been issued to women passengers up to April 2024, incurring a total expenditure of Rs.8,815 crore for the state. Officials believe smart card distribution would offer accurate data on the number of beneficiaries, helping ensure proper allocation of the Transport Department had planned to issueto ensure that only eligible women could avail of the free travel. These cards would help track the routes and distances women travel — from taluk to district to state level — and provide reliable data for reimbursements. The e-Governance Centre was also reportedly working on integrating Aadhaar numbers with the cards. However, this plan has since stalled. As the scheme nears its two-year mark, there has been no renewed effort or discussion to resume smart card multiple allegations have emerged regarding misuse of the scheme. Some women reportedly show Aadhaar cards from other states to avail of free rides, while others obtain tickets for long distances but disembark midway. There are also claims of inflated ticketing to draw extra reimbursements, causing losses to the said that the Finance Department has consistently raised objections about the lack of a smart card mechanism and the resulting ambiguity in expenditure. It has warned the Transport Department that without proper beneficiary verification, future reimbursements may be from the e-Governance Centre confirmed that while there was an initial plan to issue smart cards, no clear directive has been received since then. There is currently no active discussion or preparation underway for card distribution. The Finance Department insists that smart cards are vital for accurate data collection, preventing misuse, and potentially saving crores of rupees for the govt. Although funds continue to be released to avoid inconveniencing women or stalling the scheme, another formal reminder will soon be issued, sources said.
Gulf Insider
03-05-2025
- Gulf Insider
Bahrain: Gold, Girls and Getaway Cash: BD175,000 Laundering Ring Busted
From an ordinary-looking flat, a woman masterminded a money laundering operation that channelled over BD175,000—proceeds from prostitution and human trafficking—through currency exchanges, remittances, and bulk gold purchases. She and three accomplices were each sentenced to five years in prison and fined BD100,000. Three of the four will also be deported. Investigators said the ringleader ran the illicit business with cold efficiency, exploiting women while carefully moving funds out of Bahrain. The money trail—masked through jewellery purchases and foreign transfers—was traced back to illegal sex work. The second defendant transferred BD25,815 to an Asian country and exchanged nearly BD39,000 in foreign currencies. A third handled BD44,000 in similar operations. All financial paths pointed back to the same woman. A First Lieutenant from the National Financial Intelligence Centre led the investigation. He quietly pieced together the transactions, analysed account patterns and connected the dots between the suspects' movements and their money. One defendant admitted she was tasked with overseeing the exploited women, handling client calls, collecting payments, keeping records, and managing currency exchanges. Another said he acted as a driver, picking up envelopes from hotel front desks and making deliveries to exchange shops. Prosecutors revealed that BD175,557.882 was proven to be the proceeds of human trafficking and prostitution, funnelled through different channels in an attempt to appear legitimate. The court concluded the group worked knowingly and deliberately to disguise the source of the funds, converting cash into gold bars, jewellery, and foreign currencies to cover their tracks.
Daily Tribune
03-05-2025
- Daily Tribune
Gold, girls and getaway cash: BD175,000 laundering ring busted
From an ordinary-looking flat, a woman masterminded a money laundering operation that channelled over BD175,000—proceeds from prostitution and human trafficking—through currency exchanges, remittances, and bulk gold purchases. She and three accomplices were each sentenced to five years in prison and fined BD100,000. Three of the four will also be deported. Investigators said the ringleader ran the illicit business with cold efficiency, exploiting women while carefully moving funds out of Bahrain. The money trail—masked through jewellery purchases and foreign transfers—was traced back to illegal sex work. The second defendant transferred BD25,815 to an Asian country and exchanged nearly BD39,000 in foreign currencies. A third handled BD44,000 in similar operations. All financial paths pointed back to the same woman. A First Lieutenant from the National Financial Intelligence Centre led the investigation. He quietly pieced together the transactions, analysed account patterns and connected the dots between the suspects' movements and their money. One defendant admitted she was tasked with overseeing the exploited women, handling client calls, collecting payments, keeping records, and managing currency exchanges. Another said he acted as a driver, picking up envelopes from hotel front desks and making deliveries to exchange shops. Prosecutors revealed that BD175,557.882 was proven to be the proceeds of human trafficking and prostitution, funnelled through different channels in an attempt to appear legitimate. The court concluded the group worked knowingly and deliberately to disguise the source of the funds, converting cash into gold bars, jewellery, and foreign currencies to cover their tracks.
Gulf Today
01-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
Dubai court orders real estate firm to pay Dhs1.8m to investor for breaching the contract
Dubai Real Estate Court has ordered a real estate development company to pay Dhs1,815,000 to an Asian investor due to the company's failure to deliver a plot of land she had purchased to build a villa on. The company also failed to protect the investor's rights, as the land was seized and sold at a public auction. According to the case file, the investor filed a lawsuit against the project's owning company, the managing company, the project itself, and the owner of the first company, requesting the return of Dhs1,665,000, which she had paid for a 605-square-metre plot of land to build a villa, along with Dhs1,000,000 in compensation for the damages she incurred. The four appellees submitted memoranda requesting the dismissal of the lawsuit, arguing that there was no basis for the investor's request to terminate the contract. They claimed that she had delayed constructing the building within the agreed 24-month period and had not completed the payment for the land. The investor's lawyer submitted a memorandum stating that his client had requested the termination of the contract and compensation after discovering that a lawsuit had been filed against the company that sold her the land and final rulings affirmed that the plot of land was originally granted as a gift from the third company to the first, and a final ruling had invalidated this gift. Due to legal disputes among the partners, the land was seized and sold at a public auction to a well-known company, which now legally owns it. The lawyer noted that the investor's failure to pay the remaining amount for the land was due to the company's inability to transfer ownership to her and the judicial ruling selling the land at auction removed the company's ownership, which was sufficient reason for the investor to halt full payment for the land. The court clarified that the contract was the responsibility of the first company only, and therefore, the second, third, and fourth appellees were not involved in the lawsuit. Consequently, the court obligated the company to repay the amount to the investor.
Gulf Insider
27-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Oman Plans to Raise the Minimum National Wage to 400 Riyals
Oman is considering raising the minimum national wage to OMR400 (about Dh3,815), instead of the current OMR325, according to Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, the Minister of Labour. Ba'awan told a local radio station that the OMR400 figure is preferred, the final decision will be subject to further evaluation and negotiation.'As a government, we tend to favour setting the minimum wage at 400 Omani rials. However, this remains a proposal subject to further evaluation,' Dr. Ba'owain said. He explained that the proposal will be thoroughly assessed by the Financial and Economic Committee, the Council of Ministers, and all relevant stakeholders before any decision is minister further said that the proposed range of OMR360 to OMR400 was determined through collaboration between the technical team of the National Employment Programme and the Directorate General of Planning and labour market announcement follows previous statements by the Minister at the 'Together we Progress' forum last month, where he indicated that the Labour Ministry was studying a move to raise the minimum wage to the same OMR360-400 range. At that forum he stated, 'We are currently reviewing the minimum wage. We have sent an initial draft to the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers. The hike in the minimum wage depends on the average of monthly wages and the annual inflation rate and it may range between OMR360 and OMR400.'At present, the minimum wage for Omani workers stands at RO325, irrespective of qualifications. The Minister assured that the proposed wage increase is driven by economic factors rather than a desire to reduce wages. 'Our goal is not to reduce wages. This is purely an economic matter based on supply and demand,' he pointed out. Last week, the minister announced its operational plan for 2025, which aims to create 45,000 job opportunities. The plan includes 11,000 training and qualification opportunities for job seekers, approximately 10,000 job opportunities within the government sector, and 24,000 job opportunities in the private sector. Dr. Mahad bin Saeed Ba'awin, the Minister of Labour, has affirmed that the Ministry's commitment to training programmes linked to employment, on-the-job training, and wage support. These initiatives will be delivered through various channels, including support for small and medium enterprises holding Riyada cards, large companies, start-ups, freelance work, and temporary contracts within government companies for replacement purposes. The Ministry is actively monitoring companies participating in the training-linked-employment programme, with a compliance rate exceeding 82 per cent. Oman has begun setting a minimum wage as part of its social and economic reform policies over the past decades, in line with the drive to improve citizens' living standards and support social stability. In the 1990s, with the development of the Omani economy and increased reliance on the local workforce, the government began developing policies aimed at reducing the gap between wages and the cost of living. Following the Arab Spring protests in 2011 and growing social demands, the government issued a decision to raise the minimum wage to approximately 200 Omani riyals, representing a qualitative shift in improving workers' income. With increasing economic pressures and rising living costs, the minimum wage was raised again in 2013 to 325 Omani riyals. Following this, the minimum wage continued to evolve at a slow pace due to the economic recession witnessed in the region and globally, with the government committed to updating wage policies in line with market changes and challenges. Nabhan bin Ahmed al Battashi, Chairman of the General Federation of Oman Workers (GFOW), stressed that the raising the minimum wage requires a thorough examination of references and indicators to establish a reasonable figure capable of withstanding economic challenges in the future. 'Meetings are still ongoing within the Dialogue Committee, with plans for meetings to finalize a specific figure to present to the Council of Ministers,' he explained. Dr Mohamad Al Mushaiki, academic and researcher specialising in public opinion and mass communication, said that it's time to raise the minimum wage for Omanis to OMR500, up from OMR325. 'A minimum salary for university graduates must also be set at OMR700. Above all, we hope to adopt the job seekers' benefit as soon as possible, so that Omani society, in all its segments, can enjoy the social protection umbrella without exception,' he said. Also read: Oman GDP Up 1.7% to $99.5bn
