National
More than 13,000 crore due from Centre: Mamata
Kolkata, Dec 4 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the Centre owes the state more than Rs 13,000 crore under various developmental schemes this year.
“By our calculation till November 25, we are supposed to get Rs 13,714 crore from the central government under various developmental schemes even after paying off our yearly debt of Rs 40,000 crore to the centre,” Banerjee said after the administrative meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna.
She said the money is to be paid by the Centre under central schemes like NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund), Swachh Bharat Mission, National Urban Livelihood Mission, National Rural Drinking Water Programme, exchange of enclaves and so on.
Giving an account of the state’s expenditure in the current administrative calendar, the chief minister said it has increased the release of planned funds this year and has also decided to spend Rs 12,000 crore separately for infrastructural development in the state.
“In 2016, total planned fund released was Rs 36,730 crore, but this time we have released more than Rs 44,000 crore. So it has been considerably increased. We have also decided to spend Rs 12,000 crore extra for infrastructural development and Rs 900 crore has been already released,” she said.
Banerjee said the state would introduce E-Office in all the state run departments from the beginning of next year to bring in more transparency and credibility.
She also claimed that accidental deaths in the state have come down by 13 percent while the number of road accidents has reduced by 16 percent after the state government’s initiative on road safety.
“Bengal is now the second least road accident prone state after Punjab. But our population is twice of Punjab. So considering the population, it can be said our state is number one in this regard,” she added.
–IANS
mgr/bdc/ahm/bg
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.