National
Modi launches free power connection scheme for 4 cr rural households (Second Lead)
New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) With an eye on polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a new scheme to provide free electricity connections to four crore rural homes, saying there will be power in every village and every home in new India.
The decision would cost the government Rs 16,000 crore which will not be passed on to the poor, Modi said.
He said the connections would be delivered at the door of the rural poor for which they would not have to go after the government officials.
The Prime Minister was speaking at a function to launch “Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna” — the scheme for easy availability of electricity in every household — at the renovated ONGC Bhavan, renamed after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya.
“There are four crore families which do not have electricity, not to talk of bulb. No money will be charged from any poor person for electricity connection. The government will give the connection at your doortep,” Modi said.
“Not only every village, every house will also have power connection in new India,” he added.
The scheme is aimed at providing electricity connection to every household in the country by March 31, 2019.
Modi said he had to study in the light of lamp in his childhood and therefore, could understand the difficulties of four crore families that do not have access to power.
Women in families without electricity connections were forced to complete their work before sunset and could not venture out in evening hours, he said.
Citing Upadhyaya, the Prime Minister said the test of government policies was how they help the poor.
He said 15,000 of 18,000 villages had been electrified in the last three years and the remaining would be electrified soon.
During his address, Modi took veiled digs at the Congress, saying there had been reports of grid collapse and coal shortages during the UPA government.
“(Now) there is a new approach, new policies and multidimensional steps,” he said.
Modi said if India could reduce its oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022 and increase share of renewable sources of energy, it would result in substantial savings which could be used for social spending.
–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.