National
Sugar production in UP to cross 100 lakh tonnes: Industry
New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Industry body, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), on Thursday said that sugar production in Uttar Pradesh was set to cross 100 lakh tonnes in 2017 and the total countrywide production was expected to be 251 lakh tonnes.
Sugar production in major sugarcane growing state of Maharashtra had gone down to 42 lakh tonnes in 2016-17.
“This year, we are expecting it to be 70 lakh tonnes in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh it will be 101 lakh tonnes this year as against 87 lakh tonnes last year,” a ISMA Director General Avinash Verma told reporters on sidelines of its annual general meeting.
In Karanataka, the production is set to increase by three lakh tonnes to 25 lakh tonnes, this year.
In 2016-17, sugar production had slumped to 203 lakh tonnes due to drought-like situation in sugar producing Maharashtra and southern states.
Sugar year starts from October.
Taking into an account hike in production this year, the ISMA also sought preferential import duty or decrease in import duty for Indian sugar in neighbouring Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
These countries import 25 to 30 lakh tonnes, annually.
“While Sri Lanka levies $150 per tonne, Bangladesh charges $100 per tonne. So we have asked the government to seek preferential duty structure from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for Indian sugar as production is going to be surplus this year,” Verma said.
–IANS
spk/umer/rn
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.