National
Rajiv Kumar takes charge as NITI Aayog Vice Chairman
New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) Rajiv Kumar, who took over as Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog on Friday, rejected criticism that demonetisation was responsible for the fall in Gross Domestic Product growth and said it cannot be blamed for that.
“Demonetisation should not be seen as the reason for the fall in GDP. There was a six-week period when cash deficit existed and from January (2017) things were fine,” he told reporters after taking charge of the office.
Kumar was appointed Vice Chairman in place of Arvind Panagariya, who opted to return to teaching in Columbia University in the US.
He said destocking by firms was the reason for the GDP fall. “Huge discounts were given and productivity also came down. A deflationary effect was negative after a long time. In every economy whenever there is a fundamental governance reform, such a situation is witnessed.”
Kumar said that including governance capacity at the state level was a focus for him.
“Governance for states has to be given shape at NITI Aayog. It is important for the states to be on same page. Policy making is an activity which is to be participative. People and everyone have to come on the same level and what is achieved can be our own model of priority and development.”
He said jobs have to be created and private investment is important in this regard. “We have to make sure that domestic investment is protected so that it picks up.”
“This is an area where India has a lot of entrepreneurs. So, we have to ensure that their role and participation is appreciable.”
He also talked of agricultural transformation and health and education as sectors that needed attention.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the responsibilty given to him, Kumar said, “Let me tell you that this is a dream job and (there is) no doubt about it.”
“I started my career from the same building in 1975. I used to come to this building library as part of my research. I want to thank Panagariya ji also for nourishing the NITI Aayog work and has made my work easier,” Kumar said.
“One of my biggest works will be to build team NITI. This is going to be a collective glory. We need to turn around initiatives. New NITI can transform the entire nation which is to be done now.”
Kumar, a senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), is also Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Economics and Politics in Pune and the founding director of Pahle India Foundation, a non-profit research organisation that specialises in policy-oriented research and analysis.
Before CPR, he was Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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