Latest news with #Rs148
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Education sector gets 24% of non-development budget
The Punjab government has allocated 24.4 per cent of the non-development budget for the financial year 2025-26 to the education sector. The government allocated Rs148 billion for the development of the sector, marking a 137% hike over last year, and Rs661 billion for non-development expenses. The allocation pertains to the school, higher and literacy and non-formal education departments. The budget includes allocations for the laptop scheme and Honhar scholarship programme in addition to provision of facilities and construction of hostels, libraries and computer labs. The government allocated Rs15 billion for the scholarship programme. The allocation last year was of Rs4.5 billion. According to the budget documents, it plans to distribute 112,000 laptops among students during the year through an allocation of Rs15.1 billion for the CM Punjab Laptop Scheme. Last year, Rs37 billion had been allocated for the scheme and 40,000 students had benefitted do far. In the annual budget, the Punjab government has introduced the Punjab Education Initiative Management Authority ( PEIMA) and allocated Rs40 billion for the construction of new classrooms, IT labs, upgrade of school buildings and provision of facilities. The government also allocated Rs4 billion for outsourcing government schools during the year. An allocation of Rs5 billion has been proposed to check the drop out ratio from government schools. The Punjab government allocated Rs5 billion for a project to set up 'schools of eminence' of international standard and Rs3 billion to expand establishment of centres of excellence of early childhood education. It allocated Rs35 billion for the Punjab Education Foundation to support low-income private schools for educating needy children. In addition, Rs3.7 billion has been allocated for the Punjab Education Curriculum Training and Assessment Authority ( PECTA) and Rs6 billion for the CM School Meal Programme, for which Rs7 billion had been spent last year. The allocations include Rs2 billion for constructing eight government associate colleges for girls and the same amount for digital labs in public sector colleges. An allocation of Rs25 billion has been proposed for higher education along with Rs2 billion for the construction of Mian Nawaz Sharif Engineering and Technology University in Kasur. In the coming year, Rs5 billions will be allocated for special education, while Rs1.8 billions will be spent on providing transport services in special education schools.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
No GST grant for 2 months, NMC faces financial crisis
Nagpur: The (NMC) is facing a severe financial crunch after failing to receive the mandatory goods and services tax (GST) compensatory grants from the state govt for two consecutive months—April and May—of the current financial 2023–24, NMC received a monthly GST grant of Rs137 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For the 2024–25 financial year, the civic body anticipated an 8% hike, expecting monthly grants to rise to Rs148 crore. However, not a single rupee was disbursed in the first two months, severely impacting the NMC's ability to meet its financial to NMC accounts and finance department officials, the civic body's average monthly expenditure is Rs148 crore. This includes salaries, pensions, electricity and water bills, and crucial payments to private agencies like AG Enviro and BVG India for door-to-door waste collection. Additionally, it covers remuneration for contract-based staff, including security guards, computer operators, and ex-servicemen deployed in the nuisance detection squad.A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the NMC so far managed to meet its financial obligations for April and May by dipping into its reserve funds, covering an estimated Rs296 crore. However, the situation remains financial stress has already begun to show. Pension disbursement to retired employees, typically done on the first of each month, was delayed and only released on May 8. "If GST grants continue to be delayed, even employee salaries will be at risk," the official within NMC link the disruption in funds to the state govt's populist spending ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. "While the govt is announcing freebies, it is failing to release even the committed grants to urban local bodies. Rather than offering giveaways, the focus should be on long-term schemes to build employment skills for young women, farmers, and other marginalised groups," said the delay has raised serious questions about state govt's fiscal discipline and its commitment to supporting civic bodies at a time when cities are grappling with mounting service demands.
Express Tribune
22-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Gandapur offers to lead talks with Afghan Taliban
As terror rocks the province, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has urged the federal government to formally entrust him with the responsibility of negotiating with the Afghan Taliban, asserting that dialogue was the only viable path to peace in the region. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Friday, Gandapur said that his government had formulated a peace plan in consultation with tribal advisors from all agencies and submitted it to the Foreign Office and the Interior Ministry. However, he lamented that the proposal remained unanswered. "The Taliban cannot refuse talks with tribal elders. Bring them to the tablenegotiations are the only solution," he added. "I will hold talks with [Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah] Akhunzada." "Right now, I have no contact with the Taliban, but if I am sent, we will make it work," he added. He also took a jibe at JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, claiming that his influence over the Taliban had waned and that only lower-level Taliban leaders engaged with him. "Sit with Taliban across the table, hold talks with them, it is the only solution," K-P CM asserted. Gandapur pointed out that the cleric-politician outnumbered all other political parties in holding public rallies in K-P ahead of the 2024 elections. "We were hiding in the mountains before the elections. We did not hold any rally," he said. Earlier, addressing an Iftar party hosted by him, Gandapur said his province has come out of the financial crisis. K-P has a surplus of Rs159 billion, while Punjab has been facing a Rs148 billion deficit. "We have introduced transparency in the province," he added. Brushing aside corruption allegations, he quipped that if the province was in surplus after corruption, such corruption should be adopted by all other provinces.
Express Tribune
21-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Gandapur offers to lead talks with Taliban, claims Fazlur Rehman's influence has faded
Listen to article Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has claimed that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman no longer holds influence over the Taliban and offered to take charge of negotiations with the group, Express News reported. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Friday, he said, 'Maulana Fazlur Rehman's influence over the Taliban has ended. Give me the task—I will bring them to the table.' He revealed that a plan for talks with the Taliban had been submitted two and a half months ago, but no progress has been made. 'I've sent a plan for negotiations with tribal elders to the foreign and interior ministries, but haven't received a response. The Taliban cannot refuse the tribal elders,' he stressed. 'If I'm given the task, you'll see me sitting with [Taliban leader] Akhundzada tomorrow. There's been no contact with the Taliban yet, but send me, and talks will begin,' he asserted. He also remarked that two years ago, when he roamed the mountains, low-level Taliban leaders were in touch with Fazlur Rehman, 'but today I am the chief minister—and tomorrow, I might not have any value.' Reflecting on the general elections, he said, 'On election day, we were hiding in the mountains. We held no public rallies. Out of 95 Union Council chairmen, only three were ours; the rest were missing.' Earlier, while addressing an Iftar gathering, Gandapur said the K-P government has overcome its financial challenges and currently has a surplus of Rs159 billion, while Punjab faces a deficit of Rs148 billion. 'There's talk of corruption in our province, but if corruption existed, how could we have a surplus? If this is corruption, then every province should have it,' he quipped. Calling for political stability, he said, 'The founder of PTI must be released. Only his release can restore political stability in the country. Things were normal before the PTI government was removed; now terrorism and lawlessness have surged.' He also stressed the need for dialogue with Afghanistan. 'We share thousands of kilometers of border with Afghanistan. Whenever I speak of talks, there's opposition. Even during the PDM government, it was decided to engage with the Taliban.' Gandapur reiterated the necessity of a national dialogue for the country's improvement. 'No dialogue can happen without the release of the PTI founder. No battle can be won without the support of the people. To win the war against terrorism, public trust is essential—we must move forward with public opinion,' he concluded.
