Latest news with #FinanceDepartment
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
KP govt refutes irregularities, corruption in solarisation scheme
PESHAWAR: The KP government has refuted the impression of alleged irregularities and financial corruption in the provision of free solar systems to 130,000 poor and middle-class families of the province termed it baseless and misleading propaganda, reported by some sections of media. It said that some vested interests associated with the solarisation business have started spreading false propaganda against the project after it failed to achieve its desired objectives. In this context, KP Energy and Power Department has clarified that the mega project of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's 130,000 free solar scheme had been launched through the online e-balloting in which deserving families have been selected on merit and at the same time he has issued instructions that the public welfare project should be completed as soon as possible. department's subsidiary, the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO). KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has inaugurated the first phase of the project through Moreover, the real facts about the project are that no payment has been made under this project yet. No tender has been allotted to any contractor, while the estimated rates of the project have been prepared in full accordance with the Market Rate System (MRS) 2024 first half and the approved market rate analysis of the Finance Department. The project was initiated after the approval of the Technical Committee comprising representatives of the Finance Department, P&D Department, Energy Department and PEDO after regular consultations regarding design, estimation and PC-1 in its meetings. In addition to this, the advance procurement process for the project has been initiated under Section 22 of the KPPRA Act, which allows approval subject to availability of funds. Similarly, the letter recently issued by KPPRA regarding the irregularities in procurement is also contrary to reality, in which the advance procurement of the penalised party has been mentioned. In this regard, the E&P Department further clarified regarding the project, there is impression that only one model of all-in-one solution in China that is also wrong because several companies in China are working on all-in-one solution. In fact, there are companies in Pakistan that are working on this model, which is proving the quality of work and technical process to be timely and effective. Similarly, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed between Bank of Khyber (BoK) and PEDO for the timely completion of the project. The non-ADP summary for this scheme has been approved by the cabinet and the Planning and Development Department has sent the cost of the project and other matters to the Chief Minister through a summary after formal approval. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Petrol price up by Re1, LPG down by Rs4.62/kg
Listen to article The federal government has raised the petrol price by Re1 for the next fortnight, while keeping the high-speed diesel rate unchanged. The new prices will be applicable from June 1. According to a notification issued by the Finance Department, petrol will now be sold at Rs253.63 per litre while high speed diesel (HSD) will continue to be sold at Rs254.64 per litre. The finance ministry said that the prices were based on recommendations from OGRA and other relevant ministries. The government is focusing more on collecting petroleum levy on petroleum products to redirect to subsidize electricity prices. It had earlier decided to fund Rs1.70 per unit subsidy for the consumers of electricity by redirecting PL collection. It also later decided to redirect PL collection to fund canal and road projects in Balochistan province. The government has already decided to increase the petroleum levy rate up to Rs90 per litre on the sale of oil products. At present, the consumers are paying Rs78 per litre in petroleum levy on petrol and Rs77 per litre on diesel. LPG The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has reduced the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for June 2025 in response to fluctuations in the global market. According to an Ogra notification, the new consumer price of LPG has been set at Rs2,838.31 per 11.8 kg cylinder, down from Rs2,892.91 in May. This reflects a decrease of Rs54.60 per cylinder, or Rs4.62 per kilogram. The regulator attributed the price reduction to a 2.67% drop in the Saudi Aramco Contract Price (CP), which directly impacts local LPG producer rates. Additionally, a slight 0.35% increase in the average dollar exchange rate was recorded. For June, Ogra has set the revised producer price at Rs199,234.49 per ton, which stood at Rs203,861.82 in May - causing a decline of Rs4,627.33 per ton. Irfan Khokhar, Chairman of the All Pakistan LPG Distributors Association, welcomed the reduction in LPG prices and urged the government to ensure that the official price set by Ogra is strictly enforced.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hugley attorney demands reinstatement, $213,000 and apology from councilors who fired him
Scroll to bottom to see full letter. COLUMBUS, Ga. () — An attorney representing former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley has sent a letter demanding that his client be reinstated after being fired on Tuesday. The letter, dated Friday, May 30, was sent to Leslie Hartnett, the attorney representing the six city councilors who voted to terminate Hugley after 20 years as city manager and seven months from retirement. Attorney Scott Grubman claimed Hugley's firing violated state and federal law. He pointed out statements made by Councilor Charmaine Crabb in which she made alleged racist remarks in a sheriff's investigative report on the city's Finance Department. She accused Hugley of 'organized crime' and 'mafia-type behavior.' Crabb made the motion to fire Hugley and is the first signature on the termination notice. 'Less than two weeks after this interview report was released, and after Councilwoman Crabb was called out for this improper, racist behavior, including by Mr. Hugley through counsel, she introduced her unscheduled motion to terminate Mr. Hugley's employment, after over 40 years of employment with the City of Columbus, and 20 years as Columbus' first African American City Manager,' Grubman wrote. 'Councilwoman Crabb's signature is the first to appear on Mr. Hugley's termination letter. The letter claims the termination reasons violated Title VII's prohibition on race-based discrimination and retaliation.' WRBL has reached out via text to the 10 city councilors — Crabb, Byron Hickey, JoAnne Cogle, Toyia Tucker, John Anker, Glenn Davis, and Walker Garrett voted to fire Hugley. They have not made any public comments on the termination. Anker responded late Friday saying 'Council does not comment on personnel matters, and particularly now that Mr. Hugley has publicly threatened legal action against the city, we cannot comment. We refer you to any statements made during the Council meeting and vote to terminate Mr. Hugley.' In addition to Hugley's immediate reinstatement, the letter asks for a written apology, and $213,278.52 in compensation. Grubman claims failure to respond by June 6 will result in an EEOC discrimination charge. The attorney also demanded that all relevant documents and communications be preserved. Hugley-Demand-and-Preservation-Letter-May-30Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Federal government posts $43 billion deficit between April '24 and March
The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill is pictured from the West Gate in Ottawa on Monday, May 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The federal government says it ran a budgetary deficit of $43.2 billion between April 2024 and this past March. The deficit compared with $50.9 billion for the same stretch in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. According to the Finance Department's monthly fiscal monitor, revenue for the 10-month period totalled $494.8 billion, up from $444.8 billion a year earlier. Program expenses excluding net actuarial losses amounted to $480.3 billion, up from $440.6 billion, boosted by increases across all major categories. Public debt charges totalled $53.7 billion, up from $47.5 billion. Net actuarial losses were $4.02 billion, down from $7.56 billion a year earlier. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hugley's attorney says former city manager will fight termination by Columbus council
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — The attorney for former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley tells WRBL that his client plans to fight his termination. Scott Grubman pulled no punches this afternoon in the first public comments since seven city councilors voted to fire Isaiah Hugley late Tuesday night. According to his attorney, Hugley is weighing his options in the wake of his termination on a 7-3 vote of the city council on Tuesday. Since April, Hugley has been threatening legal action against six of the seven city councilors who voted to fire him. Grubman focused on the role of Councilor Charmaine Crabb. 'Look at the termination letter. Guess whose first signature is right there?' Grubman said. 'It's Councilwoman Crabb. I think it is obvious that this was motivated by racial bias.' Grubman claims Councilor Crabb made racial statements to Sheriff's Office investigators during an investigation of the city's Finance Department. Crabb and other councilors did not respond to a WRBL request for comment. They have not spoken publicly about Hugley's firing. 'Again, you had a councilwoman saying racist things,' Grubman said. 'Apologizing for it. But then a week later firing the long-term city manager based on nothing more than a pretext. That's racism. That's discrimination. That's actionable under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. So, I think a federal lawsuit is highly likely.' Hugley was planning to retire at the end of the year after two decades as city manager. The termination notice says he will paid salary and benefits through Dec. 31st. 'What did I say in every single letter?' Grubman said. 'Please just let Mr. Hugley serve out the remainder of his term without harassment or discrimination. And what did they do in response? They fired him after accusing him of being in the Mafia for going to black churches. That is the legal definition of discrimination. So is it going to get messier? It's going to get a lot messier?' Grubman says Hugley wants to pursue an appeal of his firing. Though his office is conflicted out of the case involving Hugley and council, City Attorney Clifton Fay says Hugley does not have any appeal rights through the city. Grubman understands it differently. 'In addition to any sort of litigation that might be filed under the city code Mr. Huguely is entitled to a public hearing, and we will be requesting that public hearing,' Grubman said. 'But we are going to avail ourselves of the hearing because we think it's very important for the public, for the people of Columbus, to see what's going on here.' All of this comes amid speculation that Hugley, the city's first black city manager, is considering a 2026 run for mayor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
