Iesco introduces system of taking meter reading with Andriod phone
RAWALPINDI (Online): Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO) has launched the system of taking meter reading of the consumers in Rawalpindi through Andriod mobile phone. This system has been introduced in five divisions of Rawalpindi city including Satellite town, Westridge, Tariq Abad, Cantt and Mareer. Sources said government had directed all electricity supply companies to ensure meter reading of the consumers meters through digital system. The IESCO had decided to utilize meters which were being used for taking reading of gas consumption. Over 300 meter readers of Rawalpindi divisions were imparted training on this count. But this experience remained unsuccessful.
Therefore, IESCO authorities provided state of the art Andriod Samsung Glaxi great prime 8-Mega pixile mobile to meter readers besides provided training to them how to use these mobiles.
PARC trains 500 master trainers on sprinkle irrigation technology
ISLAMABAD (INP): The PARC trained as many as five hundred (500) master trainers on Solar Pumping and Sprinkle Irrigation System who will provide training to the farmers in their respective areas to reduce use of water for agriculture and horticulture sectors. The purpose of the training is to train farmers to utilize latest technologies that would enable them to use minimum possible water for agriculture. “We have sufficient water available but what we need is proper management,” remarked Chairman National Assembly’s Standing Committee on NFS&R, Malik Shakir Bashir Awan while addressing the 11th batch of the training course organized at model orchard at Fateh Jang.
Solar pumping and sprinkle irrigation system has been utilized in establishing the orchard on modern line, which now serves as model for the Pothwar region.
Lauding the efforts of PARC for equipping farmers with latest technologies to cope with future challenges of water scarcity, Mr. Awan urged the organizers to train maximum possible number of farmers on these technologies for the development of the agriculture as well as horticulture sectors of the country.
The 11th “Profession Training Course on Watershed Rehabilitation Irrigation Technology Improvements” was jointly organized by PARC and Climate Change, Alternate Energy and Water Resource Institute Islamabad.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Dr, Iftikhar Ahmad said that timely planning and management were the prerequisites to develop future strategy of coping with the challenges. He said that the Fateh Jang orchard based on the solar pumping and sprinkle irrigation system was a role model which should be followed by all the farmers to promote agriculture sector on modern lines.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Dr .M Azeem urged upon the participants of the workshop to use their expertise and knowledge they have learned in this workshop for the betterment of farming community of their respective areas.
He said that if this model is followed it would help bring about revolution in the agriculture sector without using huge water resources.
Meanwhile, Incharge and Projector Director of Fateh Jang Solar Pumping and Sprinkle Irrigation System, Dr. Munir and Saleem Pomi briefed the participants about the model orchard and the technology used for sprinkle irrigation system.
CFOs are business drivers of
organisations along with CEOs
KARACHI (INP): After organizing two very successful CFO Conferences in Karachi and Islamabad, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) took the event on a global stage. The third CFO Conference of this year was, accordingly, held in Dubai which has the largest concentration of ICAP members in the region.The conference was held at Atlantis, The Palm Dubai recently & attended by more than 450 finance and business professionals from GCC & Pakistan. In keeping with its tradition of innovative theme and taking cognizance of the fast changing global economic scenario, the conference was appropriately titled ‘Transformative CFOs - The Adaption Champions”.
President ICAP Yacoob Suttar in his opening remarks welcomed the participants and appreciated the efforts of the ICAP UAE Chapter Committee Members, especially the president of the UAE Chapters Khalid Mahmood, for their contribution in organizing the conference. He stated that CFO Conference was a flagship event of the Institute and provided an excellent platform for sharing knowledge and experience among the finance professionals, especially from the industry. He highlighted the very affective role being played by ICAP members in industry and profession throughout the GCC countries. He further stated that ICAP members had become an integral part of the UAE economy and that ICAP is determined to support them in their endeavors. He further confirmed that the CFO Conference would now be an annual event in Dubai where professionals will explore and thrash out solutions to meet the emerging challenges.
Ziad Makhzoumi, Group CEO Fakih IVF, the keynote speaker took the stage on “Strategic Leaders - Are CFOs Ready To Drive Business” and shared his extensive experience with the participants. He emphasized that to contribute effectively to business development CFOs have no choice but to transform themselves from the traditional role of gate keepers to strategic thinkers. In today’s organizational challenges, CFO’s role is of transformational leadership in creating synergies and building teams.
Dirk Backhaus, Group Director Finance (CFO) Al Batha Group delivered the second keynote address of the day. In his presentation “Changing Game for Finance” he emphasized that today’s finance leadership has to be forward thinking to cope with the continuous changes in economic realities.
Mir Mohammad Ali, CEO UBL Funds gave a presentation on Investment Opportunities in Pakistan along with comparison of regional investment markets informing the audience that Pakistan was becoming a much safer place for investment than is generally perceived in the international markets. Gary Dugan, Managing Director GW CIO & Head of Strategy National Bank of Abu Dhabi shared his views on the global economic situation and its impact on business environment in GCC countries.
Neil Hargreaves & Ghazanfar Shah from Deloitte talked about the Fraud Risk Management and major concerns of organizations for Fraud Awareness and prevention.
The two expert panel discussions on Expectation and Perception for 2020 and Financial Performance Management were also part of the illustrious conference. The conference concluded on an appreciative note with the participants looking forward to the next CFO conference to enrich their experience.
FPCCI, IUCN Pakistan ink MoU for sustainable development JVs
Karachi (Staff Reporter): FPCCI and IUCN Pakistan have signed a memorandum of understanding for joint initiatives towards sustainable development in Pakistan. The MoU was signed by the IUCN Pakistan, Country Representative, Mahmood Akhtar Cheema and FPCCI President Mian Mohammad Idrees. This MoU provides a framework for IUCN and FPCCI to collaborate towards the cause of environment and sustainable development in Pakistan. Under this MoU, IUCN and FPCCI will identify opportunities for projects and activities, which will be jointly undertaken. Idrees appreciated that IUCN had come forward and offered to work jointly with FPCCI,which is the hub of private sector associations and businesses, towards the cause of sustainable development.
He added that FPCCI and IUCN would pursue environment as a concern which can affect lives – and conservation of nature should be seen as a priority.
Commending the joint efforts, Mahmood Akhtar Cheema said that “this MoU provides an opportunity to these two organizations to develop a broader road map to move forward more proactively in dealing with environmental challenges in Pakistan.
“IUCN has an advisory role in environmental conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, CITES and the Framework Convention on Climate Change – and it has been instrumental in crafting the national and provincial Conservation Strategies for Pakistan. He added that IUCN was already engaged with some of the major private sector companies and trying to help them align their business practices to more environmental friendly ones.
Rawal Shopping Festival ends today
RAWALPINDI (APP): The Rawal Shopping Festival, continuing at major markets, shopping malls and plazas of city and cantonment areas under the aegies of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), will conclude on Sunday (today). Shopkeepers and business concerns are offering sizeable discount rates of up to 50 per cent on sale of various commodities to their customers. According to RCCI President Syed Asad Mashadi, the festival had given momentum to business activity in the town by attracting maximum number of customers because of discounted sale prices. Prizes like cars, bikes, laptops, electronic goods, mobiles and other items were given to the customers through lucky draws while a mega lucky draw and musical show would be held on Sunday at Ayub Park at 7 pm.
Two lucky draws were also held during the festival in China Market and Commercial Market on May 5 and May 8 respectively.
The RCCI chief claimed that a large number of citizens visited several city markets, including Saddar Bazar, China Market, Moti Bazar, Raja Bazar, Murree Road and Commercial Market during the shopping festival.