Business

Sigh of relief: NEPRA notifies Rs2.32 per unit cut in power tariff

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Decision comes a day after govt dropped “petrol bomb” on people.
NEPRA also okays reduction of Rs10.8 per unit for KE consumers.
Domestic consumers who use more than 300 units will get benefit.

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Thursday notified a reduction of Rs2.32 per unit for Ex-WAPDA distribution companies (XWDISCOs) consumers on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for December 2022.

The development comes a day after the federal government dropped a “petrol bomb” on the masses by increasing the price to Rs272 per litre after a hike of Rs22.20. Meanwhile, natural gas tariff was increased sharply by up to 112% for consumers.

The negative power tariff adjustment will give some breathing space to the inflation-weary people reeling from the impact of sky-high petrol and gas prices.

According to a notification issued in this regard, the NEPRA directed all XWDiscos to show the adjustment separately in the consumer’s bills for February.

This shall apply to all consumer categories except:

Lifelines consumers
Domestic consumers who consume up to 300 units
Agriculture consumers
Electric vehicle charging stations

It was also clarified that the negative adjustment on account of monthly FCA applies to domestic consumers having Time of Use (ToU) metres irrespective of their consumption level.

“The said adjustment shall be shown separately in the consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the consumers in the month of December 2022,” it read.

The FCA is based on changes in the global prices of fuel and is passed on to consumers under the prescribed rules and regulations of NEPRA and the government of Pakistan.

The recommendation proposed by the power distribution companies is approved by NEPRA after a thorough review of the data provided for a month during which the fuel charges were recovered from the consumers.

Earlier, the power regulator also notified a reduction of Rs10.8 per unit for the K-Electric consumers for the month of December 2022 which would also be reflected in the consumer bills of February 2023.

Business

Malir Industrial Park is introduced by SIFC.

Published

12 hours ago

Farwa

The establishment of “industrial parks” by the Pakistan Economic Zone Development and Management Company and the Special Investment Facilitation Council aims to attract investors and stimulate the economy.

First up is the Malir Industrial Park, which gives companies access to important trade and transportation channels. This park will be different from heavy industry parks in that it will concentrate on small industries and diverse industrial offices. Among Karachi’s industrial zones, it would be noteworthy for providing security and necessary infrastructure.

In order to lower unemployment, the initiative intends to generate more than 200,000 jobs in the first five years. To increase the advantages of the program, the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry will become a member of the Malir Industrial Park Advisory Council.

The park will have easy access to Karachi Port and Jinnah International Airport due to its strategic location at the convergence of key highways, such as the National Highway and Malir Motorway. This would guarantee effective access to both domestic and foreign markets.

Business

The Saudi crown prince and PM Sharif promise to increase trade and investment relations.

Published

13 hours ago

Farwa

He emphasised how closely Saudi Vision 2030 matches Pakistan’s main strategic goals, strengthening the basis for both countries’ development.

In terms of trade, investment, and economic development, both leaders reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening bilateral cooperation.

A recent visit by a high-level Saudi delegation headed by the Saudi Investment Minister, during which a number of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to strengthen the economic partnership, was mentioned by Prime Minister Sharif.

Along with talking about the economy, the two leaders acknowledged the serious damage caused by Israel’s continuous aggression in the area and voiced their profound worry about it.

Peace in Gaza is linked to global progress: PM

In his earlier speech to the 8th Future Investment Initiative (FII), Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasised the catastrophic situation in Gaza and stressed that the world would find it difficult to meet its developmental goals unless there was an immediate end to the violence.

Shehbaz, the Saudi prime minister

With the topic “Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow,” the FII brought together prominent individuals to discuss investments in important fields such as robots, artificial intelligence, education, energy, finance, healthcare, and sustainability.

Pakistan’s worries over the worsening situation in Gaza were highlighted by PM Sharif’s direct remarks, which also highlighted the necessity of international cooperation in fostering peace.

Business

Task Force for FBR Digitization Established: Automated Supply Chain System Design

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

A 10-member Task Force has been formed by the government to digitize the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in partnership with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

Improving FBR’s systems and completely digitizing its operations are part of the Task Force’s mandate. Policy interventions, data automation, software installation, and collaboration with provincial revenue authorities are among the main goals.

Together with developing a track-and-trace system through integrated automation, the task force will also establish an Automated Supply Chain System for distributors and wholesalers.

Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited would become a stand-alone IT bureau for planning and data preparation.

In order to create a unified national tax strategy, the project seeks to maximize revenue collection, increase transparency, and simplify Pakistan’s tax system while encouraging cooperation between the federal and provincial tax authorities.