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Odisha reiterates demand for special category status

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Bhubaneswar, Feb 17 (IANS) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday reiterated the demand for special category status for Odisha and revision of coal royalty for the benefit of the state.

During a meeting with NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar at the state secretariat here, the Chief Minister also demanded an increase in central assistance to the backward districts of the state.

The state government has been demanding more central assistance for schemes in backward districts, funding for programmes like special plan for the Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput (KBK) districts, Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF), Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for Left Wing Extremists-affected districts, which have been stopped by the Centre.

The Chief Minister also urged the Centre to change the fund-sharing pattern of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) from 75:25 to 90:10 between the Centre and state, respectively.

As lack of bank branches have affected the financial inclusion system in Odisha, the state government urged that all banks be instructed to open branches in identified unbanked gram panchayats.

Patnaik reiterated the demand for a revision the rate of royalty on coal, something that has to be done every three years. The Centre has not revised the royalty on coal since April 2012.

“Before my arrival, issues pertaining to the state’s interests had been submitted to us. There are 9-10 important issues. Out of these, some are relating to Odisha, some to the central government and some to other states. We will look into them separately,” Rajiv Kumar told media persons.

“Our effort through such meetings is that the senior bureaucrats from this state would come over to New Delhi and the officials of the required ministries will be invited to the NITI Aayog and interact on the solutions,” he added.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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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.

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