National
SC notice on PIL for timely disbursements in rural job programme
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the central government on a PIL seeking proper implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and timely payment of wages, compensation, unemployment allowance and clearing of pending liabilities.
A bench of Chief Justice H.L.Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy issued notice on a petition by the social activists Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Lalit Mathur seeking, besides timely payment of wages and clearing of pending liabilities, the setting up of independent Social Audit Units.
The court issued notice as counsel Prashant Bhushan highlighted delay in the payment of wages with an outstanding liability of Rs.3,500 crores.
Seeking higher wages under NREGA than the prevailing minimum wages in the states, Aruna Roy and others have sought direction to the central government to restore the demand-based fund-release system as envisaged in the 2008 Operational Guidelines of MGNREGA.
The PIL petitioners have also sought direction to the central government to comply with the statutory mandate of releasing funds to match the state governments’ expenditure at all times, including the expenditure for payment of compensation in lieu of delay in payment of wages to workers and the liquidation of existing liabilities.
Referring to the Section 14 (6) of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, the petitioners said that for the current year, the projected demand is 333.07 crore person days and this would involve an allocation of Rs.45,930 crore but there is a gap of Rs.10,000 crore in view of the shortfall in the actual allocations.
Section 14 (6) says that the district programme coordinator shall prepare in December every year a labour budget for the next financial year containing the details of anticipated demand for unskilled manual work in the district and the plan for engagement of labourers in the works covered under the scheme and submit it to the district panchayat.
Appreciating the social audit units set up in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, the PIL said that despite the issue of Social Audit Rules in 2011 with the concurrence of the CAG, most of the states have failed have failed to set up such bodies as they fear the it would expose the alleged corruption in execution of the scheme fir the rural poor.
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.