National
Three booked by CBI for fertiliser fraud
New Delhi: The CBI on Saturday filed a case against a former IFFCO official and two others for causing a loss of Rs.2.41 crore to the government exchequer by misusing a central government subsidy scheme for urea fertiliser.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team also carried out searches at the residences of the accused in six places in Thrissur in Kerala and seized several incriminating documents.
Gopala Krishnan, a former official of Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative (IFFCO); Akhil T. Gopi, a former field officer in-charge (Trainee) of Kerala State Cooperative Marketing Federation; and C.G. Pauly, a transport contractor in Thrissur, were booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
“During April 2015 to January 2016, around 1,096 tonnes of urea was misused by the former field officer (Gopi),” the CBI’s press information officer R.K. Gaur told IANS.
“He (Gopi), in connivance with the former IFFCO officer (Krishnan) and the transport contractor raised bogus bills showing the supply of urea to 31 cooperative societies in Thrissur and other places in Kerala.
“However, the urea was actually supplied to some industries for illegal monetary benefits as the price of industrial urea was around Rs.27,000 per tonne.
“By using this modus operandi, the accused caused a loss of Rs.2.41 crore to the government exchequer,” the CBI official said.
Gaur said the chemicals and fertilisers ministry was giving subsidy of around Rs.22,000 on one tonne of urea.
“After subsidy, the farmers would get one tonne of urea for Rs.5,250. The objective of the central government giving subsidy is to help the farmers with an affordable price and to boost agricultural production.”
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.