Latest news with #Rs40
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
UPI tax notices spark trader revolt in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Karnataka's small traders are up in arms after the state Commercial Tax Department served notices demanding commercial tax payments from small bakeries, condiment shops, tea stalls and petty traders who have recorded UPI transactions above Rs40 lakh. Angered by the sudden notices, traders across Bengaluru have begun displaying signs reading 'No Google Pay, No PhonePe — Cash Only' at their shops to discourage digital payments that they fear might attract further tax demands. Owners of condiment stores, tea stalls, coffee outlets and petty shops have decided to shut their businesses on July 25 as a mark of protest. Pamphlets urging traders to observe the bandh have already been circulated. Traders are also planning an indefinite sit-in protest at Freedom Park from 10 AM on July 25. Adding to the unrest, vendors have warned that the sale of milk and dairy products could be disrupted from July 23, as a mark of symbolic protest. The backlash has grown louder after the department issued a Rs43 lakh tax notice to a vegetable vendor in Manjunatha Nagar. 'I've only been running this vegetable shop for two years. I've received two notices asking me to pay Rs43 lakh. If they force this, I'll have to shut shop and return to my hometown,' said Sagar, the distraught vendor. Some pushcart vendors have reportedly received notices too, deepening concerns among Bengaluru's small business community over the future of digital payments and compliance burdens.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Funding crunch delays K-IV project
Listen to article For years, the K-IV project has been viewed as a lifeline for Karachi's residents suffering from chronic water shortages. Yet it appears that the financial and administrative hurdles plaguing the completion of the project are here to stay for another four to five years. Originally launched in 2016 under the Sindh government and Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) with an initial PC-1 cost of Rs25 billion, the K-IV project aimed to supply 260 million gallons per day (MGD) to Karachi within two years. However, due to severe mismanagement and design flaws, the project was halted in 2018 after achieving only 20 per cent progress. In 2021, the federal government transferred control of the project to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), which redesigned it, inflating the project cost to Rs126 billion. Construction resumed in 2022, with a revised completion target of December 2025. A WAPDA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that over 63 percent of the project has been completed, however, due to rising construction material costs, an additional Rs30 billion is required. "A revised PC-1 has been submitted to the federal government for approval, but the project has reportedly been downgraded from the government's priority list. Against the remaining Rs40 billion requirement, only Rs3.5 billion has been allocated in the current budget, causing work stoppages on two filtration plants and a major pipeline section, while other components are progressing at a sluggish pace," confirmed the official. Efforts to obtain official comments from WAPDA General Manager (South) and K-IV Project Director Aamir Mughal remained unsuccessful, as repeated attempts to contact his office yielded no response. Reportedly, the core component of the K-IV project involves laying an underground pipeline from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi's Kathore area, supervised by WAPDA. However, three additional critical projects tied to K-IV remain the Sindh government's responsibility. The first project concerns the augmentation plan. This project, financed through a 260 million US dollars World Bank loan, involves laying approximately 100 kilometers of bulk distribution pipelines within Karachi and connecting them to existing pumping stations. Similarly, the power supply project involves installing a 132-kilovolt transmission line from Jhimpir grid station to the K-IV pumping complex near Keenjhar Lake to provide 50 megawatts power, with an estimated cost of Rs16 billion. Lastly, the KB feeder canal lining project, spanning 38 miles, aims to rehabilitate and widen the canal from the Indus river to Keenjhar lake, to ensure full quota delivery. A senior KWSC official anonymously confirmed that while official schedules promised completion of these three projects within two years, actual timelines were expected to stretch much longer due to bureaucratic hurdles, utility shifting delays, and complex technical requirements. Repeated efforts to reach Sindh's Secretary Irrigation, Zareef Khero, for comments remained unanswered, while the concerned Executive Engineer cited his recent appointment as an excuse for his inability to comment at this stage. According to a survey conducted by the Express Tribune, Karachi's daily water requirement stands at 1,200 million gallons, while the city currently receives only 650 million gallons from the Indus River and Hub Dam, leaving a staggering shortfall of 550 million gallons per day. The survey also revealed that the KWSC officials, in alleged collusion with the tanker mafia and illegal groundwater extraction networks, have created an artificial water crisis in several areas, including Clifton, Defence, Gulshan-e-Iqbal (13D-2, 13D-3), North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, and PECHS. Despite the critical importance of the K-IV water project to Karachi's future water security, bureaucratic inefficiencies, lack of political will, and severe underfunding continue to jeopardize its timely completion.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
PIA returns to UK skies after five years
PIA's bidding is expected to take place in the last quarter (October-December) of the current calendar year, said Muhammad Ali, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation. photo: file Listen to article Britain has lifted a five-year ban on Pakistani airlines, allowing them to apply to resume UK flights just as the government steps up efforts to privatise the Pakistan International Airlines. The ban was imposed in 2020, days after the government launched an investigation into the validity of pilot licences issued in the country following a PIA plane crash that killed 97 people. British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said the lifting of the ban followed safety improvements by Pakistani authorities. The decision comes just months after the European Union took similar steps. "I'm grateful to aviation experts in the UK and Pakistan for their collaborative work to drive improvements to meet international safety standards. While it will take time for flights to resume, once the logistics are in place, I look forward to using a Pakistani carrier when visiting family and friends," she said. The lifting of the ban is expected to bring immense relief and opportunity to the over 1.6 million British residents of Pakistani heritage and thousands of British nationals living in Pakistan. It also comes as a potential catalyst for enhancing the £4.7 billion bilateral trade between the two countries. With airspace now cleared, the skies are once again open for stronger people-to-people connections and economic cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. While several private Pakistani airlines operate domestically and on regional routes, primarily to the Middle East, PIA has historically been the only carrier to operate long-haul flights to Britain and the European Union. PIA had previously estimated an annual revenue loss of around Rs40 billion ($144 million) due to the ban. The airline has long considered UK routes, including London, Manchester, and Birmingham, among its most profitable, and holds sought-after landing slots at London's Heathrow Airport that could become active again. PIA's spokesperson said the airline was finalizing preparations to resume UK flights "in the shortest possible time" and had submitted its proposed schedule. Flights would resume with the Islamabad-Manchester route, with three weekly flights planned initially pending schedule approval, the spokesperson added. Earlier this month, the Privatisation Commission approved four groups to bid for a 51-100% stake in PIA. Final bids are expected later this year. The government is hoping that recent reforms, which led to the airline's first operating profit in 21 years - will help attract buyers under a broader IMF-backed privatisation push. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told a news conference on Wednesday that the resumption of all routes would improve PIA's value ahead of the privatisation. He also said there were plans to restart flights to New York. "Pakistan will apply for an operating licence to resume direct flights to the UK," he said. Asif criticised an irresponsible statement by then-Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for triggering the ban on PIA operations in European countries and the UK. Ghulam Sarwar's remarks caused irreparable damage to the reputation of both PIA and Pakistan, he added. In response to a question, he said that various consortiums had shown interest in the PIA privatisation process. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, welcoming the UK Air Safety Board's decision, said the "positive development" would improve Pakistan's international reputation and further strengthen bilateral cooperation. The prime minister also congratulated the defence minister on the lifting of the ban. In a meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office, PM Shehbaz commended the efforts of the Defence Minister and his team, as well as the Aviation Division, for their dedicated work in achieving this diplomatic and operational breakthrough. "The resumption of Pakistani flights to the UK marks an extremely important achievement for the country," the prime minister said, noting that this step would greatly facilitate travel for the large Pakistani diaspora in the UK and boost tourism between the two countries. (With additional input from agencies)
Hans India
6 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
ibis Styles enters destination wedding segment in India
New Delhi: Global hospitality group Accor's 'ibis Styles' brand is entering the destination wedding segment in India targetting mid-scale young consumers, a senior company official said. The 'ibis Styles Vagator' property in Goa will be the first to offer full-fledged destination wedding services from the upcoming season and will consider extending it to other properties after learning from the initial experience, ibis & ibis Styles India Head of Commercials, Animesh Kumar told media. In India, top luxury hotels by and large have been catering to destination weddings where the average spend could range anything between Rs40 lakh and Rs5 crore with the number of guests ranging from 100 to 200. In value terms, 70 to 75 per cent of the destination wedding have been catered by luxury and upscale hotels, he said. 'There is that mid-scale segment and there is a demand in that segment. Not everyone has the ability to spend a few crores of rupees... based on our assessment, I think there is opportunity to cater to this demand,' Kumar said on the idea behind ibis Styles looking at the destination wedding segment. There are young, modern, smart, fun millennials who want a special, but smaller setup and they are more value driven, he said, adding, 'that is the segment which is underserved, right now'. Within the ibis network, while 'ibis' is well positioned primarily for business travel, 'ibis Styles' has more of design element and is more leisurely and it fits well for destination weddings, he noted.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
3 men assault, rob Dharashiv businessman & friend of Rs40 lakh
1 2 Pune: Three occupants of a car assaulted a Dharashiv businessman and his friend before robbing a bag containing Rs40 lakh around 8.45pm on Tuesday in Ambegaon, off Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. Senior inspector Sharad Zine of the Ambegaon police said, "We have registered a complaint against the car occupants. We have obtained many clues and are searching for the suspects. Our teams are studying CCTV footage of the area to identify the car and its occupants." The police said the businessman, dealing in iron and steel, had come to Pune for a business deal with his friend. He was carrying cash in a bag for it. According to the police, the suspects might have followed his car for a long distance. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Zine said, "The businessman and his friend, also from Dharashiv, parked their vehicle near the bypass and started walking towards a nearby building, where the meeting was scheduled. At this point, a car came to the spot. Three men alighted from it and approached the businessman's friend, carrying the bag of cash. One of the three men issued threats to the businessman and his friend, and tried to snatch the bag. When the businessman and his friend resisted them, the trio assaulted them with sticks. " The police said, "The trio finally managed to snatch the bag from the businessman's friend. They fled towards the Navale bridge area in their car."
