National
Will not cross fiscal deficit target with power for all scheme: Government (Lead)
New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The Central government on Monday said that it will not exceed its fiscal deficit target for 2017-18 to fund the Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna, a scheme aimed at providing electricity connection to every household.
Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R.K. Singh said that the new scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will be funded through “existing financial resources”.
“As far as the fiscal deficit is concerned… this (scheme is being funded) through resources which are already there. We are not taking anything extra,” he said at the a function held here to launch the scheme, which is estimated to cost Rs 16,320 crore.
“This scheme is being funded by the central government and a component of it is coming from the state governments… There is no question of anyone depositing anything to avail the benefits of this scheme,” he said.
The scheme envisages to provide free electricity connections to four crore rural households. It also entails easy and hassle-free registration for those who want to avail the benefits of the scheme.
However, several economic analysts have lately expressed concerns over a possible breach of the fiscal deficit target for 2017-18 to fund populist schemes and a like stimulus package for the economy.
Macro-data released on August 31, 2017, showed that country’s April-July fiscal deficit — at Rs 5.05 lakh crore — stood at 92.4 per cent of the full year Budget target of Rs 5.46 lakh crore.
The data that time was furnished by the Comptroller General of Accounts (CGA). It showed that April-July fiscal deficit was 73.7 per cent of the Budget in the like period of the last fiscal.
But within the first four months of the fiscal 2017-18, it had touched 92.4 per cent of the full year target.
The 2017-18 deficit — the difference between revenue and expenditure — has been pegged at Rs 5.46 lakh crore for 2017-18, as compared to the deficit of Rs 5.34 lakh crore for the last fiscal.
–IANS
rv-mak/vd
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.