National
Must overcome challenges in agriculture, employment: Pranab
Kolkata, Feb 28 (IANS) Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said the country has to overcome challenges in agriculture, employment and power to become a sustainable economy with a substantial growth rate.
Claiming that the economy has the potential of growing at a rate of eight to nine per cent every year, Mukherjee urged the current government to work towards addressing not just the major challenges but also the related issues through “cooperative federalism”.
“By 2025, India would become a $5 trillion economy from $2.224 trillion now. But it would only be possible if all the points of deficiency are adequately addressed,” Mukherjee said while addressing a session on prospects of economic growth in India organised by the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce here.
“Hungry people, malnutritioned children, unemployed youth — these three are the major challenges in the country. Also, the power generation and its impact on the environment has to be monitored.”
Hailing India’s growth in the agricultural sector, Mukherjee said the government should keep working to protect the sector to feed a huge and growing population.
“We must protect the agricultural sector. There is no room for complacency. We might take pride in the fact that India has become a great exporter of food grains. But we should not forget that ours is a growing population.
“India’s current population is 1.32 billion that would grow at a fast pace. Therefore this growing population needs to be fed.
“But when we talk about agriculture, it is not just the production of the food grains alone. Rural infrastructure, irrigation, rural health, education, sanitation and housing should also be developed,” he pointed out.
He said the success of the Indian economy would heavily depend on its ability to train and skill the large number of youths and get them ready for the world market.
“India has the youngest population in the world but unless we train them, give them employment, enhance their expertise and make them available for the market in the world…
“It is the biggest challenge for our government to ensure how quickly we can skill and train our young generations,” he added.
–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.