National
PM should meet army veterans directly: Ex-army chief
New Delhi: As the protests over the delay in implementation of ‘One Rank, One Pension’ continued for the 68th day, former army chief Gen (retd) V.P. Malik on Friday said it was high time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke directly to the veterans.
Gen Malik, who has been actively involved in the talks between the government and the veterans, and acted as intermediary a lot of times, said it was unfair that the bureaucrats were talking to veterans on behalf of the government.
“I do feel that prime minister should talk to the veterans directly now,” Malik told IANS. “I don’t think it is fair that bureaucracy talks to the veterans. The leaders should talk directly.”
The veterans were trying to meet the prime minister and have sought help from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for this.
The Prime Minister’s Office held talks with the veterans at least thrice in the last fortnight.
The first two meetings were before Independence Day, when Gen Malik met PMO representatives on August 11 and again on August 13.
According to sources, Modi was ready to announce OROP in his I-Day speech, however, the talks between PMO representatives and the veterans failed as the government wanted to make certain changes in the scheme, which the veterans felt was equal to back tracking from what was promised.
The situation worsened when police used force against the veterans on August 14.
The next meeting with Principal Secretary in PMO Nripendra Misra came on Tuesday.
The meeting however remained inconclusive. While the secretary urged the veterans to end the agitation, the ex-servicemen stayed firm on their demands.
The ex-servicemen are demanding that there should be no change in the definition of OROP, the date of implementation should remain as April 1, 2014, and the base year must remain 2013-14.
That means all past pensioners would be brought at par with pension as existing on March 31, 2014.
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.