National
Amid strain, Naidu asks Modi to provide money to Andhra (Lead)
New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Amid visible tensions between the TDP and BJP, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday and urged him to fulfil all the commitments when the stat was split.
During an hour-long meeting, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President discussed with Modi what he said were unfulfilled promises under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and submitted a 17-page memorandum.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes amid indications of strain in the relations between the Telugu Desam Party and its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Naidu, who called on Modi after one-and-a-half year, appealed to Modi to take immediate steps on long pending demands keeping in view the next year’s simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assembly.
The TDP has already dropped hints that its patience with the Centre was growing thin. The party MPs had also met Modi on the last day of the winter session to submit him a memorandum.
Naidu wanted the Centre to immediately sanction Rs 58,000 crore required for the Polavaram project.
He urged Modi to ensure that sufficient funds were allocated in the central budget for development of the new state capital Amaravati.
He wanted Modi to take urgent steps to increase the number of seats in the state Assembly from 175 to 225 as committed in the Reorganisation Act.
The TDP brought to Modi’s notice that the state was yet to receive Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre towards the expenditure incurred so far on Polavaram project. He sought release of the money.
Naidu said the Centre should totally fund the cost of the project, which has been declared a national project.
While announcing special package in lieu for the special status in 2016, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely had declared that the entire expenditure of the project would be borne by the Centre.
Naidu told Modi that Andhra Pradesh suffered huge losses due to bifurcation of the state as it had to face financial problems. He said further delay in fulfilling the commitments given in the Act will add to the problems.
As the state has to receive Rs.20,010 crore from Centre in the form of Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) under the special package, Naidu urged Modi to provide the funding assistance as central grant from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) instead of loans through external funding agencies.
The state government expects Rs 20,010 crore for 2015-16 to 2019-20 for taking up EAPs under the special package. It has already sent proposals for various projects to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under EAP.
However, Naidu pointed out that the state would not be in a position to utilise the entire special assistance amount within the 5-year period ending with 2019-20 as the projects under EAP will consume a lot of time for grounding and completing.
–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.