National
Odisha announces scheme to boost fresh water aquaculture
Bhubaneswar, Nov 27 (IANS) The Odisha government on Monday introduced a new scheme ‘Fish Pond Yojana’ to facilitate the creation of additional 2,200 hectares of fresh water aquaculture farming with 50 per cent financial assistance to farmers.
“The state plan scheme has been introduced with a budget provision of Rs 96 crore,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while attending a workshop on ‘Doubling of Farmers Income Through Dairy and Allied Farming Practices’.
“Various services in the fisheries sector are also being made online today. I would expect an active participation of women SHGs and Fisheries Cooperatives in taking advantages of various schemes launched by my government,” Patnaik said.
“We are also dedicating Animal Ambulance Service in Berhampur and Cuttack urban areas with a budgetary provision of Rs 1 crore to provide emergency assistance to sick and injured animals,” he added.
Patnaik said Odisha is the only state in the country to have doubled farmers’ income in real terms over a decade.
“As per the latest survey of Government of India, Odisha is the only state in the country to have doubled farmers’ income in real terms over a decade,” said Patnaik.
He said the contribution from Fisheries and Livestock sectors was reported to have increased significantly – marking a 33.35 time increase during this period.
He added Livestock and Fisheries sectors play an important role in the development of rural economy in the state. These sectors have a tremendous relevance for the livelihood of small and marginal farmers who derive a substantial part of their income from the sale of milk, meat, egg and fish, Patnaik said.
“Due to persistent and novel initiatives taken by the state government, the annual fish production in the state has increased from 2.60 lakh tonnes to more than six lakh tonnes in the last 17 years. Similarly, per day milk production has seen a quantum jump from 24 lakh litres in 2000 to 54 lakh litres now,” he said.
The egg production has also seen a production growth of more than 2.5 times, he added.
–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.