Latest news with #Rs600
Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘Cruel initiative': Farmers call for end to 45% agricultural income tax
Small and progressive farmers have called for abolishing the 45% agricultural income tax, describing it as a cruel initiative that will annihilate the entire agriculture sector given they have been dealing with 20%-50% underpricing of agricultural produce since the last couple of years. These farmers have said they will challenge the tax in the courts while declaring it as 'illegal' and 'unconstitutional'. Moreover, the farmers say they already been paying 5% to 15% agricultural income tax and advance agricultural income tax worth Rs200 per acre since 1994. IMF agreed to spare agriculture sector from taxes, says PM Shehbaz Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) Senior Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio told Business Recorder: 'Let me dispel common misconception of industrialists and trade bodies that agriculturalists do not pay taxes.' 'We are paying taxes since 1994 while we are not given loans by banks and no privileges like special industrial zones or special export zones etc by the government. Has the government any justification to increase agricultural income tax from 15% to 45%, while agricultural produce in the range of Rs600,000 is exempted from the tax?' He said industrialists, wholesalers and retailers can fix prices of their products but agriculturalists are at the mercy of the market. SCA rejects '45pc agricultural income tax' 'We are getting low prices for our agricultural produce since Jan 2024 - around 19 months. We are getting 20%to 50% less money for wheat, paddy (rice), cotton, oil seed crops and others. However, we have got a better price of sugarcane.' 'There are three main inputs for crops such as seeds, fertilizers and diesel. I get a 50 kg bag of DAP [phosphatic fertilizer] at Rs9,000, urea at Rs2,600, 1kg of hybrid rice seed at around Rs1,500, per litre diesel at Rs186 in 2023, while they are right now being sold at Rs13,000, Rs4,400,Rs2,000 and Rs286 respectively at a local market,' he added. Farmers Organisation Council Sindh Chairman Jawaid Junejo said there is a plan to destroy the agriculture sector which may bring about food insecurity in the country. He said the government must review its decision and give relief to farmers so that they may grow crops which can benefit the country and countrymen.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Three men damage 15 vehicles with stones & sticks in Dhankawdi
1 2 Pune: Three men damaged 18 vehicles — 15 autorickshaws, two cars and a school van — with stones and sticks between 12.35am and 1am on Wednesday at Dhankawdi, and threatened residents with dire consequences if anyone intervened in their act of vandalism, claiming themselves to be local "Bhais" (strongmen). Sumit Rangnekar (42), a resident of the area, lodged a complaint with the Sahakarnagar police later in the morning. The trio damaged the windshield of his car. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone II) Milind Mohite told TOI, "The reason behind the vandalism is not known yet. Our team is studying the CCTV footage of the area, which shows the three men riding on a motorcycle and damaging the vehicles parked on a road. They have been riding triple-seat." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Inspector Surekha Chavan of the Sahakarnagar police said, "The three men damaged the vehicles parked on the public road. A majority of the affected people are autorickshaw drivers, who stay nearby." An autorickshaw driver (48) said, "I had parked my autorickshaw on the road around 10.30pm on Tuesday. After parking my autorickshaw, I went home. I received a call from one of my friends around 1am, stating that someone damaged the windshield of my autorickshaw." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa Prices in Dubai Might Be Lower Than You Think! Villa for sale in Dubai | Search Ads Learn More Undo He said, "Now, to repair the windshield, I will have to spend around Rs2,000. I also will miss two days' income, which is around Rs600 to Rs700 per day." DCP Mohite said, "We suspect that the case of vehicle vandalism is connected to another case of house ransacking in the area. A man celebrated his birthday with his second wife and two sons, and three sons of his earlier wife came to his house and ransacked it. The three men were seen leaving the same area on their motorcycle where the ransacked house is located. We are yet to arrive at any conclusion, though." Late on Sunday night, a gang of eight men damaged a grocery store and then damaged an autorickshaw. On Saturday evening, three people damaged eight vehicles in Kondhwa over an old rivalry.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
PSB announces Rs8.2m cash reward for Pakistan U-16 volleyball teamvoll
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has announced a cash award of Rs8.2 million for the national under-16 men's volleyball team following their historic title win at the Asian U-16 Volleyball Championship in Thailand. Each of the 12 squad members will receive Rs600,000 under PSB's revised 2024 Cash Award Policy, which grants 30% of the individual award amount to players in annual continental team events. The total for players amounts to Rs7.2 million. Additionally, Rs1 million has been allocated for the coaching staff, which is entitled to 50% of the team award value under the same policy, taking the total disbursement to Rs8.2 million. Pakistan stunned powerhouse Iran 3‑2 in a thrilling final to clinch the title, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. PSB spokesperson Khurram Shahzad said the awards would be distributed within days, with payments to be made directly to players and coaches named on the official roster after completing necessary documentation. 'This initiative reflects PSB's commitment to recognising and financially supporting sporting excellence at all levels,' he added.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
PSB announces Rs8.2m cash reward for Pakistan U-16 volleyball team
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has announced a cash award of Rs8.2 million for the national under-16 men's volleyball team following their historic title win at the Asian U-16 Volleyball Championship in Thailand. Each of the 12 squad members will receive Rs600,000 under PSB's revised 2024 Cash Award Policy, which grants 30% of the individual award amount to players in annual continental team events, the PSB said in a statement. The total for players amounts to Rs7.2 million. Additionally, Rs1 million has been allocated for the coaching staff, which is entitled to 50% of the team award value under the same policy, taking the total disbursement to Rs8.2 million. Pakistan stunned powerhouse Iran 3‑2 in a thrilling final to clinch the title, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. PSB spokesperson Khurram Shahzad said the awards would be distributed within days, with payments to be made directly to players and coaches named on the official roster after completing necessary documentation. 'This initiative reflects PSB's commitment to recognising and financially supporting sporting excellence at all levels,' he added.
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Express Tribune
Massive wheat scam unearthed
Over Rs300 million worth of wheat has allegedly been embezzled from three procurement centres of the Punjab Food Department in Khanewal due to corruption, negligence and departmental apathy. Despite early warnings and internal reports, senior officials reportedly failed to take timely action. After the matter became public, authorities have now hinted at launching a formal inquiry. According to official sources, significant quantities of wheat have been misappropriated from three storage centers: 23,000 bags from Sardarpur Center, 27,000 bags from Kot Islam Center, and 13,000 bags from Bhatta Kot Center. During departmental checks prompted by public complaints, wheat bags worth more than Rs300 million were found damaged and decomposed. In some storage rooms, the wheat had turned completely black, and in certain piles of soil within the warehouses, wheat grains had even started to sprout. A sensitive intelligence agency in Punjab has identified three food centres in Khanewal and five in Multan where thousands of wheat bags have been misappropriated, and in some cases, the wheat has turned black. The agency has reported to the Punjab government that wheat worth Rs500 to Rs600 million has either been embezzled or spoiled. According to the report, when the Director in Multan exerted pressure on an inspector of one of the food centres, the inspector passed away, as he was facing a liability of Rs350 million in recovery. The food inspectors responsible during the time of the irregularities were: Malik Qasim and Ghazanfar Bhutta at Kot Islam Centre; Hasnain Siddiqui at Sardarpur Centre; and Rana Muhammad Sarwar at Bhatta Kot Centre. Sources fear that in addition to the negligence, a large quantity of good-quality wheat may have been sold in the open market, and blackened, unusable wheat mixed with soil was placed in the bags to cover up the theft. The wheat in question was procured in 2023 at the official rate of Rs3,900 per 40 kilogrammes. Despite being aware of the situation, the Deputy Director of Food Multan and the District Food Controller of Khanewal reportedly took no meaningful steps to address the issue. District Food Controller Muhammad Sufyan, when contacted for comment, acknowledged that some wheat had indeed spoiled. He attributed the spoilage to the ineffectiveness of the chemical treatment used for preservation. He claimed that an investigation into the matter is currently underway.
