National
Second metro fare hike in year is violation of law: Kejriwal
New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that Delhi Metro’s proposed fare hike, the second in five months, is clear a violation of law and urged the central government to put the hike on hold.
Kejriwal said the hike will be in violation of the Fare Fixation Committee’s (FFC) recommendation that “there shall be a gap of one year between two fare hikes”, an official statement from the Chief Minister’s office said.
It said that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has claimed it is bound by recommendations of the FFC on fare hike, but by ignoring the time gap between two fare hikes the FFC recommendations are being “selectively implemented” by DMRC.
“Delhi government has never interfered in DMRC functioning, but it can’t remain a mute spectator when commuters are being hit,” Kejriwal said.
“Delhi government appeals to the central government to invoke its powers under Section 86 of the Delhi Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002 to put on hold any fare hike till the entire matter is reviewed jointly by the central and Delhi governments,” the statement read.
Delhi Metro fares are set to increase for a second time this year from October 10.
The last increase was in May when the minimum fare went up from Rs 8 to Rs 10 and the maximum from Rs 30 to Rs 50.
DMRC and the AAP-led Delhi government have locked horns over the fare hike for the past one week.
Last Thursday, Kejriwal asked Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot to find a way to stop the “anti-people” fare hike within a week.
Later Gahlot met with DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh and asked DMRC to put on hold the impending fare hike till the Delhi government completes an inquiry on the proposed increase.
On Friday, AAP said it will launch a protest campaign if DMRC remained adamant on increasing the Metro fare.
DMRC defended its decision on fare hike saying its input costs have gone up over the years, and the increase is on par with other city metro rails.
On Saturday, Kejriwal urged Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri to direct DMRC to withhold the fair hike and on Sunday he called for an independent audit of the DMRC’s accounts.
–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.