National
Cut petrol, diesel prices: CPI-M
New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) The CPI-M has demanded a substantial cut in petroleum and diesel prices, citing the drastic fall in international prices of crude oil.
An editorial in the party journal “People’s Democracy” said retail prices of petrol and diesel had reached a new high in India.
The petrol price per litre was ranging from Rs 70 to 79 in various cities, making it an average of Rs 74 per litre. The diesel price was around Rs 61-62 a litre.
Ever since the daily price revision was introduced, the price of petrol had gone up by over Rs 6.17 per litre since July 1.
“There is no justification whatsoever for the steep and successive hike in excise duties. There has to be a substantial cut in the duties on petrol and diesel and the people must get the benefit of the reduced prices,” the editorial said.
It said India imported 85 per cent of its oil requirements, and so the international price of crude oil had a direct bearing on petrol and diesel prices at home.
The international price of crude oil had fallen drastically in the past three years, it pointed out.
In September 2012, the price of crude oil was $ 112 per barrel. At that time, the price of petrol for a consumer in India was Rs 73 a litre. Now the international price of crude oil was $ 52 per barrel, yet the domestic price of petrol was Rs 74 per litre.
“This is due to the high taxes levied on petroleum products,” said the Communist Party of India-Marxist. The government has hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel 11 times since November 2014. Besides, there were state level taxes.
“The central government has siphoned off all the reduction in crude oil prices through increased excise duty and VAT. The government’s excise duty collection during the period 2014-17 shot up from Rs 99,184 crore to Rs 242,691 crore.
“This form of indirect taxes burden the ordinary people. The increase in diesel prices affect the farmers and small entrepreneurs; the increase in petrol prices affect those using public and private transport.
“If the excise duties had not been increased so sharply, disposable income would have increased in the hands of the consumers, which would have led to an increase in the purchasing power of the people and revived demand for a whole host of goods.”
–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.