Latest news with #Rs45
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Jailed but not failed: Inmates in Nepal turn prison into industrial unit
GULMI: As you enter the gate, a symphony of sounds greets your ears. Some are carving wood into shapes, others are giving form to construction materials. Everyone is engrossed in their tasks, leaving no one idle. Eighteen individuals are busy working intricate patterns in wood, forty are crafting furniture, thirty-eight are weaving stools, twelve are working on fabric looms, and seven are knitting caps and sweaters—their creative hands constantly in motion. This might seem like a well-run industrial operation, but in fact, this is a typical scene at the Gulmi District Prison. A glance inside reveals what looks like a hub of factory and creativity. A facility meant to incarcerate has transformed into something resembling an industrial village. The lead craftsman is a 52-year-old inmate from Makwanpur currently serving time in this prison. He has been designing 'Ankhi Jhyal', a carved wooden frame, for 26 years in Kathmandu and has spent the last two years in Gulmi prison. Here, he has also taken the initiative to teach his skills to other inmates. 'I used to do this work outside, and now I'm passing it on while continuing my craft,' he says. 'I'm earning Rs45,000 (US$509) a month.' He plans to continue in the same profession even after serving his sentence. He supports a family of four—his parents and two children—by sending money home directly from the prison. A 30-year-old inmate from Palpa, who has been doing time here for five years, initially only wove stools. Over the past two years, he has expanded his skill set to include wood carving. All these skills were acquired inside the prison. Nowadays, he supports a six-member family, including his parents, two sisters, a brother, and a son. 'With these new skills, I now earn Rs25,000 (US$283)a month,' he says. 'After my release, I plan to turn this into a business.' He is now skilled in stool weaving and wood carving, among other crafts. Another inmate, a 31-year-old man from Baglung, has continued his previous furniture-making profession while serving his sentence here. Imprisoned for the past seven years, he says he has learned additional skills in prison and now earns about Rs30,000 (US$339) a month. 'My craftsmanship has improved, and I've started earning as well,' he says. 'Once you learn a skill, it's useful anywhere.' Currently, the Gulmi prison houses 104 inmates. Except for one dependent and one disabled individuals, all other inmates are engaged in some form of work. The prison now produces a wide range of goods, including temple fittings, wooden windows, statues, door frames, stools, photo frames, sofas, tables, kitchen and office furniture, textiles, caps and sweaters. To support this production, the prison consumes about 700 cubic feet of sal (Shorea robusta) wood and another 3,000 cubic feet of various woods each month. Reshmi Raj Panthi, chief of Gulmi Prison, said products made in this prison are being exported to major cities across Nepal and many foreign countries. Hari Thapa, chief of the prison's internal administration, said that salwood-crafted windows and sofas are currently being exported to Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, India, Macau, Singapore, and Australia. 'At present, we're exporting to seven countries, and we've received inquiries from others as well,' he said. The prison has the capacity for 20 male and five female inmates. He believes prisons should be recognised as industrial zones or factories, especially when inmates are engaged in productive labour. After improving kitchen facilities and sleeping arrangements and introducing income-generating work for inmates, the overall prison environment has significantly improved. Two years ago, this prison only engaged inmates in stool weaving and textile work. But through a tripartite partnership involving the District Administration Office, the prison, and jail administration, it has now developed into a full-fledged industrial enterprise, said Panthi. 'In terms of work, this prison has already become an industry,' he explains. 'The state should officially recognise employment generation and economic benefit.' He believes that if the prison is officially registered as an industrial prison, earnings could increase even more. Janardan Gautam, chief district officer of Gulmi, sees this as a model for utilising skills at a prison for income generation. 'The central government needs to develop policies to turn prisons into industrial villages,' he said. 'We're also taking initiative.' He advocates for a prison management system that embraces policies for open prisons, rehabilitation homes and industrial villages. - The Kathmandu Post/ANN
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
FBR to levy 18% sales tax in erstwhile tribal areas
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to impose 18 percent sales tax on goods manufactured in erstwhile tribal areas in the federal budget (2025-26). Sources told Business Recorder that the withdrawal of sales tax exemption would generate over Rs45 billion during 2025-26. The revenue impact will be higher in case income tax concessions are also withdrawn for the said areas. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is drafting the necessary legal changes in light of court orders and relevant provisions of law. Ex-FATA/PATA: Rs45bn GST exemptions under scrutiny Through Finance Act, 2024 exemption available to ex-FATA/PATA (import/ supply of goods and supply of electricity) was retained till June 30, 2025. However, the exemption on import shall be available subject to presentation of pay order instead of post-dated cheque which would be released on furnishing (within six months) of the consumption/installation certificates issued by the concerned Commissioner. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
FBR to levy 18pc ST in erstwhile tribal areas
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to impose 18 percent sales tax on goods manufactured in erstwhile tribal areas in the federal budget (2025-26). Sources told Business Recorder that the withdrawal of sales tax exemption would generate over Rs45 billion during 2025-26. The revenue impact will be higher in case income tax concessions are also withdrawn for the said areas. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is drafting the necessary legal changes in light of court orders and relevant provisions of law. Ex-FATA/PATA: Rs45bn GST exemptions under scrutiny Through Finance Act, 2024 exemption available to ex-FATA/PATA (import/ supply of goods and supply of electricity) was retained till June 30, 2025. However, the exemption on import shall be available subject to presentation of pay order instead of post-dated cheque which would be released on furnishing (within six months) of the consumption/installation certificates issued by the concerned Commissioner. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hans India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
SC blow to telecom operators on AGR waiver
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed petitions filed by telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Tata Teleservices, seeking waiver of interest and penalties in their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, terming the petitions 'misconceived.' The ruling came as the government earlier rejected debt-ridden Vodafone Idea Ltd's plea for fresh relief on its AGR dues, according to reliable sources. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in a letter dated April 29, said the request for further concessions on AGR liabilities 'can't be considered' due to the Supreme Court's verdict announced in the case in 2020. The apex court ruling fixed a 10-year timeline for telcos to clear dues. Vodafone Idea had sought a waiver of over Rs45,000 crore in AGR-related liabilities to ensure its survival. Bharti Airtel, along with its unit Bharti Hexacom, requested a waiver of Rs34,745 crore in dues related to interest and penalties. Meanwhile, DoT pointed out that Vodafone Idea has already sought and received partial support when the government converted spectrum-related dues worth Rs36,950 crore into equity, increasing its stake in the company to 49 per cent. The government had earlier requested the court to extend the repayment window to 20 years, but the plea was turned down. Vodafone Idea has been fighting a losing court battle over the definition and calculation of AGR, which began with a 2019 ruling. Telecom companies challenged the calculations, citing arithmetic errors, but the Supreme Court rejected the claims. Vodafone Idea filed a curative petition in July 2024, which was also turned down in September 2024.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
PWD owes Rs20,000 crore in bills to contractors, budget Rs19,000 crore
Pune: The state public works department owes Rs20,000 crore in pending bills to contractors against its allocated budget of Rs19,000 crore for this financial year, prompting its officials' decision to approach financial intermediaries for long-term financing to bridge the funding gap. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The current liability exceeds Rs20,000 crore. While provisions for Rs 19,000 crore have been made in the state budget, additional works will require finance from financial intermediaries and various other sources," a senior official of the public works department (PWD) told TOI. He said they had initiated the process of reaching out to various such intermediaries to complete large scale infra projects, to be prioritised based on importance. "We will phase out the work as per priority and seek long-term finance, depending on the projects' importance," the official said. This development follows contractors halting work across the state because of delayed payments. While PWD acknowledges Rs 20,000 crore in dues, contractors claim the actual figure exceeds Rs45,000 crore. Earlier this month, PWD issued guidelines limiting new projects, acknowledging that excessive sanctions beyond the approved budget caused delayed payments, cost escalation and quality issues. "It is necessary to formulate a specific policy regarding newly sanctioned works and limit their number," the guidelines state. The new guidelines prioritise roads essential for communication between state highways and major district roads, routes with high traffic volume requiring urgent improvement and projects with completed detailed project reports (DPRs). Emphasis has been put on preventing work duplication, completing land acquisition before road construction and finishing roads connecting bridges before the construction of the latter. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "While executing works on state highways and main district roads, it will be ensured that there is no duplication of work," a senior PWD official said. The guidelines also address the practice of initially underestimating project costs to include more works in the budget and submitting revised approvals later. "Works costing more than the received budget make it impossible for the govt to pay bills from the available funds. Delayed funding increases cost substantially, resulting in poor quality work," another PWD official said. 'All potholes on state highways repaired' The state public works department officials claimed that they had addressed all pothole-related complaints for state and district roads ahead of monsoon. "As of now, 1,00,000km road network does not have any pothole-related complaints," an official said following a review meeting. The state govt has launched PCRS 2.0, an app-based pothole reporting system with specific response time frames. The deputy engineers will get seven days, executive engineers 15 days and superintendent engineers 30 days to act on complaints. The govt has approved two different android apps — one for citizens to report issues and another for PWD engineers to manage complaints. This system replaces last year's online-only PCRS platform.
