Latest news with #DRA
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PUASA holds meeting to address critical funding & policy challenges
LAHORE: The Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) held an emergency meeting of its Executive Council on Tuesday at the University Club Committee Room to address critical funding and policy challenges facing higher education in Pakistan. Chaired by PUASA President Prof Dr Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi, the council expressed grave concerns over the inadequate financial support for public universities and the potential withdrawal of tax benefits for educators. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution urging the Punjab government to immediately revise its allocation of recurring grants for public sector universities, citing severe under funding that threatens academic and research activities. The council highlighted that despite soaring inflation and expanding institutional needs, the federal government has frozen the higher education recurring grant at Rs 65 billion since 2018. According to IMF data, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has surged by 98 percent between the years 2017–18 and 2024–25, meaning the real value of the grant has effectively halved. Adjusted for inflation, the sector should have received at least Rs 130 billion this year to maintain its operational capacity. A stark disparity was also noted in provincial allocations. While Sindh has earmarked Rs 42 billion in recurring grants for its 32 public universities, Punjab has allocated only Rs 18 billion for its 51 institutions. This gap becomes even more pronounced when comparing flagship universities: Punjab University, with over 54,000 students, has been granted a mere Rs 780 million, whereas the University of Karachi, with around 45,000 students, received Rs 3.5 billion. Such inequities, PUASA argued, hinder Punjab's ability to sustain quality education and research. Dr Magsi emphasized that recurring grants are vital for covering essential operational and research expenses, separate from development funding. The current allocations, he warned, jeopardize the functioning of universities and their global competitiveness. Punjab University, ranked among the top 5.2 percent of universities worldwide by the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR), risks losing its standing without sustained investment in faculty, infrastructure, and student support systems. The association also condemned the federal government's proposal to revoke the 25 percent income tax exemption for teachers and researchers, cautioning that this would stifle innovation and knowledge production—key drivers of national progress. Furthermore, PUASA criticized the Punjab government for failing to provide the Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) to university and government employees, mirroring federal neglect and exacerbating financial strain on educators amid rising living costs. 'University teachers are among the nation's most educated and skilled assets,' Dr Magsi stated. 'Their economic marginalization not only weakens the academic environment but also erodes Pakistan's intellectual and cultural growth.' PUASA called on both federal and provincial authorities to urgently revise higher education budgets, retain tax incentives for educators, implement the DRA in Punjab, and adopt a forward-looking approach to align with global advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence and technology-driven education. The association warned that without immediate corrective measures, Pakistan's higher education sector faces irreversible decline, undermining the country's future development. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Pedestrian-friendly redevelopment in the offing for Lloyds Road
Chennai: Dusty, congested, and lined with encroachments — this is the current state of Lloyds Road, also known as Sir V P Raman Road. However, a 250-metre stretch of this key arterial road is set to get a facelift over the next four months. As part of Nammaku Naame scheme, real estate firm DRA will undertake the redevelopment in collaboration with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). The stretch, from Anna Statue towards the beach, will be upgraded at an estimated 1 crore. As per the plan, the stretch will be made pedestrian-friendly, with walkways, public seating, landscaped spaces, energy-efficient LED lighting, and urban signage. "The aim is to create a cleaner, greener, and more people-centric corridor," said Ranjeeth Rathod, managing director of DRA whose corporate headquarters is located on the road. "Giving back to the very street that shaped our journey is meaningful to us," he added. Residents say the road has become chaotic due to diversions for metro rail construction and poor enforcement. "Eateries have taken over the pavements. It's difficult for children and the elderly to walk, especially with heavy vehicles passing through," said Elanchezhian, a resident. "The street has turned into a public urinal. Pavements are blocked by bikes and autos. The usable width of road has shrunk. Revamp is welcome, but regular maintenance is critical," added Senthil Kumar, another resident. The project is expected to be completed in four months.
Business Recorder
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Federal Budget: FAPUASA Punjab expresses disappointment
LAHORE: The Punjab Chapter of the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) has strongly condemned the federal government's recently announced salary increase for government employees in the 2025-26 budget, branding it "insufficient" in the face of soaring inflation. The association issued an urgent call for immediate measures to support university teachers whose socio-economic conditions are rapidly deteriorating. Leading the criticism, Dr. Muhammad Islam, General Secretary of the Academic Staff Association (ASA) at Punjab University, and Dr. Riaz Hussain Khan Sindhar, President of the ASA at Islamia University Bahawalpur, expressed profound disappointment with the federal budget unveiled on June 10th. They emphasized that the announced pay raise fails to address the severe financial hardship experienced by government servants, particularly those in the higher education sector. "The teachers are the nation-builders, and in all civilized societies, they are treated with dignity and care," stated Dr. Muhammad Islam in a press release issued Thursday. He lamented that despite this vital role, the federal budget once again neglected to include any special incentive or relief package specifically for university teachers, leaving them vulnerable to rampant inflation. The academic leaders voiced serious concerns extending beyond faculty salaries. They highlighted the static recurring grant allocated to public sector universities, which remains unchanged from the previous fiscal year. Dr. Islam and Dr. Sindhar warned that this financial stagnation will critically exacerbate the already precarious economic situation faced by universities and their employees. They argued that this lack of funding will severely hamper essential academic and research activities, directly contradicting the government's stated commitment to building a knowledge-based economy, which they termed "hollow rhetoric." A specific demand was raised regarding the frozen salaries of faculty members under the Tenure Track System (TTS), which have reportedly remained unchanged for many years. The FAPUASA Punjab leadership demanded an immediate increase in their pay. Furthermore, Dr. Islam issued a direct demand to the federal government for immediate clarification. He insisted that the announced 30% Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) must be extended to university teachers without any discrimination or procedural delays. "The pay disparity between university faculty and their counterparts in other government departments has reached alarming levels," Dr. Islam stated. He recalled the past "injustice" of university teachers being excluded from the DRA and issued a stark warning: "A repeat of that injustice will compel university teachers to take to the streets in protest." Additionally, he demanded that the recently restored 25% tax rebate be explicitly extended to the coming years. Looking towards the provincial level, FAPUASA Punjab called upon the Punjab government to take bold action in its upcoming budget, scheduled for announcement on June 13, 2025. The association urged the provincial leadership to ensure that the salary increase for Punjab government employees surpasses the percentage offered by the federal government. Crucially, they demanded that the 30% DRA be granted equitably to all provincial employees, explicitly including university teachers within Punjab. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Judge orders City of Chicago to install accessible pedestrian signals
CHICAGO (WGN) — Kathy Austin and her guide dog, Rowen, navigate the streets of Chicago together, but it can often be a harrowing experience due to the lack of accessible pedestrian signals in the city. 'It's too difficult to cross down here with all the noise going on around us. You can hear, and it's difficult to hear the traffic,' Austin said. 'It's terrifying. I know one person who has gotten hit in a crosswalk without a signal.' Austin, a blind resident of Chicago, isn't alone in being able to recount instances when those like her were put in harm's way by not having the right assistance traversing pedestrian crosswalks. Jean Johnson, another blind resident of the city, shared similar sentiments to those expressed by her. 'I've had a lot of close calls. There are times when I know I have the white walking guy and people aren't paying attention,' Johnson said. 'I've been almost hit on several occasions just trying to cross the street.' As of Wednesday, only 3% of signalized intersections in Chicago have accessible pedestrian signals (APS), which are meant to help visually impaired pedestrians cross the road. Since there are so few intersections have APS in a city as large as Chicago, a group of blind residents filed a class-action lawsuit against the city. 'The case was brought under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is the part of the ADA that applies to public entities, state and local governments,' said Rachel Weisberg, an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates (DRA). 'We also brought this case under Section 504, of the Rehabilitation Act.' DRA attorneys were in court Wednesday, where they reviewed a judge's remedial order that will require the city to install APS devices at 71% of its signalized intersections in ten years, and get to 100% compliance in 15 years. 'We're way behind,' Weisberg said. 'And Chicago is a first-class, incredible city, and everyone who lives here deserves to be able to safely and independently navigate our pedestrian signals.' While the remedial order serves as a sign of progress in Chicago, blind residents like Austin and Johnson still expressed a blend of disappointment and optimism. 'These should be in place already,' Johnson said. 'Ten years is a nice pad for them, but I think it's too long.' 'You go to any other cities, and many of them already have every intersection already equipped with these APS signals,' Austin said. 'So, it's a long time coming. Hopefully, it will happen quickly.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Sky News AU
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Anthony Albanese defends his response to NSW Mid North Coast flooding while on a visit to disaster hit Taree
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his response to catastrophic flooding on the New South Wales Mid North Coast while visiting the devastated region. Mr Albanese on Tuesday travelled to Taree which was hit with record flooding last week when the Manning River surpassed six metres. His trip to the flood-affected community came a day after he announced in Canberra that dozens of ADF personnel would be deployed to assist with the clean-up. It was the first time Mr Albanese had visited Taree since the flooding reached record levels last Wednesday, after earlier visiting Maitland in the Hunter Valley on Friday. During a press conference in Taree, Mr Albanese was confronted with claims that some residents felt the ADF deployment and his visit had come a little too late. "I was on the ground in this region on Friday. I was on the ground here, I'm here again today," the Prime Minister said. "My minister has been here non-stop, has been here the entire time, the Minister for Emergency Management. "The Australian Defence Force, I saw in the main street of Taree. They're working, they're on the ground here, 70 of them. A hundred DRA (Disaster Relief Australia). "The Australian Defence Force personnel that I've met have come from Coffs Harbour, have come from Queensland, have come from different parts of NSW (and) nationally. "They've been deployed upon the request. We had Australian Defence Force in the air through choppers rescuing people. The priority last week was rescuing the extraordinary number of people who needed to be rescued." Mr Albanese met with a number of impacted residents while in the area on Tuesday, including a man who had been on his farm for more than seven decades and had lost stock. "The devastation that we have witnessed firsthand is being only exceeded by the extraordinary resilience that these Australians are showing. And I just take my hat off to them, they have been quite remarkable," he said. "It is a point that whilst there are people who are directly affected here, every Australian is affected as well by the fact that we've had a loss of dairy industries that will have an impact right throughout Australia and right throughout the economic impact here as well. "But the human impact we must remember first and foremost. The loss of five lives through these devastating floods, but the extraordinary hardship that people have gone through. "People have spoken about the 2021 floods and how that had a devastating impact, but they thought that would be the peak. Well, this flood has been far worse and the impact has been far more severe." The Prime Minister further announced the government was activating its disaster recovery payment for nine local government areas - Bellingen, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Maitland, Mid Coast, Nambucca Valley, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Port Stephens. Affected residents will be able to access the payments - a one-off amount of $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children - from 2pm on Wednesday. "This payment helps people who have suffered the most serious impacts, including major damage to their home or serious injury or loss of a loved one as a result of severe weather," Mr Albanese said. The Disaster Recovery Allowance which provides "for up to 13 weeks of income support from people who can't attend their work as employees or people who are self-employed and are unable to earn an income" will also be made available to more residents. "We're extending that to all 19 local government areas that had previously been subject to support from the government. This will be available from 2pm tomorrow," Mr Albanese said. "That comes on top of the four local government areas including Mid Coast, Port Macquarie, Hastings, Kempsey and Dungog that had previously been subject to allow this support. "This... comes on top of the support that is already rolling out, including Personal Hardship payments – $180 for eligible adults and up to $900 per family – in the 19 affected local government areas."
