Category: Shortcode

CM Punjab Launches Free Solar Panel Scheme for Energy Relief

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CM-Punjab

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has unveiled a free Solar Panel Scheme aimed at reducing electricity costs for households across the province. Speaking at the launch, the Chief Minister announced that 100,000 homes will receive solar panel systems, with a total project cost of Rs10 billion. Eligible households consuming an average of 200 units of electricity per month on a single meter can apply. The solar systems, available in 550-watt and 1100-watt configurations, will be distributed through balloting in June 2025. “The initiative will bring substantial relief to…

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IMF Pushes for Levy on Captive Power Plants to Align Costs with Grid Power

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New-IMF

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has demanded a substantial levy on gas supply to industrial captive power plants (CPPs) as part of Pakistan’s commitments under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The aim is to eliminate the cost advantage of in-house electricity generation over grid power. A structural benchmark under the EFF requires gas disconnections to CPPs by January 2025 to qualify for the second $1 billion tranche in March 2025. The IMF has rejected Pakistan’s plea to revise this benchmark, insisting instead on imposing an additional levy…

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China Faces Rise in Flu-Like Illnesses with Human Metapneumovirus Prominence

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Flu-Like

BEIJING: Recent news reports and social media alerts have highlighted a potential outbreak of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. However, Chinese officials have yet to confirm these claims. Instead, data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) up to the last week of 2024 indicates a surge in various flu-like illnesses across the country. The latest statistics reveal that influenza is the primary driver of the current outbreak, with 30.2 percent of tests returning positive—an increase of 6.2 percentage points from the previous week. Additionally, 17.7 percent…

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Govt Unveils 100 MW Solar Project and Development Initiatives for Gilgit-Baltistan

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soalr energy

ISLAMABAD: The government has announced plans to establish a 100 MW solar power project in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), a move aimed at boosting sustainable energy and regional development. In a meeting chaired by the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, officials outlined a phased approach to implementing the project, pending a feasibility study conducted by NESPAK as a government-to-government consultant. The project’s distribution will allocate 40 MW to Gilgit and 20 MW each to Skardu, Chilas, and Ghanche. The existing distribution infrastructure will facilitate…

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Senator Seeks Accountability for Corruption in World Bank-Funded Grid Station Project

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Power genration

ISLAMABAD: Senator Saifullah Abro, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, has urged Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Leghari to take action against National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) officials over alleged financial irregularities in the World Bank-funded 765kV Grid Station project at Islamabad West (Lot-IV). In a letter to the minister, Senator Abro highlighted serious concerns over the mismanagement of the project, approved at a cost of Rs. 33.6 billion but later inflated to Rs. 35 billion due to the inclusion of Rs. 1.282 billion in taxes,…

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