National
Police probe on into siphoning of Rs 80 cr in Amritsar: Sidhu
Amritsar, Sep 10 (IANS) Terming it as one of the biggest scams to have hit Amritsar, Punjab Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday said that seven officials of the Amritsar Improvement Trust are under the scanner following the unearthing of a scam involving siphoning of approximately Rs 80 crore.
Sidhu told media here that the probe in the matter has been handed over to the Amritsar police after a departmental enquiry.
“The initial probe got underway from the three bank accounts in which there was an inkling of a scam to the tune of Rs 2-3 crore, whereas on being probed by the departmental officers, the net has widened to 70 bank accounts and now there is possibility of the siphoning of approximately Rs 80 crore. And it is still growing,” he said.
He said that the departmental officials allegedly involved in the scam transferred money out of the governmental accounts in the name of their relatives and the scam remained under wraps for want of any departmental audit.
Divulging more, Sidhu said that on the basis of the probe headed by the department’s Chief Vigilance Officer Sudip Singh Manak, police has registered a case against Amritsar Improvement Trust officials Arvind Sharma, D.C. Garg, Paramjit Singh, Daman Bhalla, Tina Vohra, Chartered Accountant Sanjay Kapoor and Satnam Singh.
“The money has been withdrawn by issuing 49 cheques under the signatures of Sharma, 2 cheques under Garg’s signatures and 3 cheques signed by Paramjit Singh.
The minister added that all the alleged wrongdoers would be suspended and chargesheeted.
Sidhu said that the department CA never cared to probe the scam inspite of the fact that the government auditor raised 631 objections on the works carried out by these people.
“This might be the biggest improvement trust scam till date in which such gross loot of the public money has been indulged in,” he said, adding that to put a stop to such scams in future, third party audit of all the trusts would be carried out mandatorily.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
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.