National
‘SAARC nations can together achieve Sustainable Development Goals’
Colombo, Oct 4 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday called for a collective front in the South East Asian region, saying it is imperative for the global success of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Addressing the 8th Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, Mahajan said the SDGs should be implemented in this region before any other place, as this geographical area held the key to fulfilment of these goals elsewhere.
“… nowhere in the world are collective efforts more important than in South Asia which is home to about one-fourth of the world population. As such, the global success of the SDGs is heavily dependent on their successful implementation in the SAARC countries,” she said at the conference.
Quoting the adage “poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere”, Mahajan said India had sincerely chosen the path of removing poverty by empowering the poor.
She said there were “several shining examples of community-driven efforts in India, especially in the area of rainwater harvesting, water conservation and cleanliness to make positive changes in the ground realities”.
To buttress her point, she cited the case of Indore — her hometown — as “cleanest city in India”, which could only be possible through participation of public voluntarily.
In view of the role to be played by parliamentarians in fulfilment of SDGs in 2030, Mahajan said “oversight and legislative” functions of the national parliaments needed to be strengthened with a special focus on the SDGs.
To achieve the same, she said interaction among the parliaments of the member states was important and highlighted the point that for the last two years, Indian parliamentarians had been devoting “one day in each session for discussing SDGs and their implementation”.
The summit adopted last year’s Indore Declaration to streamline their efforts for a collective regional response.
–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.