National
Himachal Cabinet contributes Rs 1 lakh each to relief fund
Dharamsala, Jan 9 (IANS) In a humanitarian gesture, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his 11 Cabinet colleagues on Tuesday decided to contribute Rs 100,000 each from their salary towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Thakur said.
The previous Congress government had left the fund — used to help the poor and the needy for medical treatment or for pursuing higher studies — almost penniless, he said.
“The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund was disbursed maximum ahead of the assembly elections. Now there is literally no amount in the fund. We are receiving requests every day from the public for allocation of funds. Initially, we, the entire Cabinet, decided to contribute Rs 1 lakh each from our salary towards the relief fund,” Thakur told reporters here.
The Chief Minister appealed to social organisations and companies to make contributions to the relief fund generously.
“I have also requested the departments and the public not to bring bouquets, garlands and mementoes for me. Rather, the amount they are spending on bouquets and mementoes can be contributed towards the relief fund,” an emotional Thakur said.
Without mincing words, the Chief Minister said the state was facing a debt of Rs 46,500 crore.
“I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (after becoming the Chief Minister) and apprised them about the current financial position. Hopefully, we will get adequate funds to overcome the pink financial position of the state.”
The Chief Minister said that his government was reviewing whether to continue with the unemployment allowance for the youths started by the previous government.
The state has over 10 lakh unemployed youths.
He categorically stated that all political cases registered by the previous Congress government would be withdrawn.
“If the cases against the HPCA (Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association) were registered on political grounds, they will be withdrawn as well,” he added.
The previous Congress government, led by Virbhadra Singh, had accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and HPCA President Anurag Thakur, now a former administrator, of alleged wrongdoings in the allotment of land to the sports body.
Accusing Thakur of allotting land to the cricket body for building a residential complex for players near Dharamsala’s picturesque stadium, the Congress government had said he had used his father’s (former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal) influence during the previous BJP regime to acquire village land for making a five-star hotel for cricketers.
A cheating and misappropriation case was registered against the HPCA over alleged wrongdoings in allotting land to the sports body, police said. The HPCA, however, said the case was politically motivated.
–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.