National
‘Budget failed to address transparency of political parties’
New Delhi: The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) on Thursday said the union budget failed to address the issues of transparency, disclosure and penalties of political parties.It also claimed the proposals on political funding reforms fell short of the recommendations by the Election Commission and the Law Commission. Commenting on the budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the ADR also found flaws in the proposal of lowering the limit for anonymous cash donations from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000.”The budget, while promising transparency and accountability in political funding, does not answer questions on how it would be implemented at the ground level nor has it promised implementation of related reforms proposed by the Election Commission and the Law Commission of India,” said the ADR.
“While this is the first union budget to raise the issue of transparency in political funding, it is unfortunate to note that complete transparency in the finances of political parties has still not been adopted in the budget of 2017-18 and the proposed reforms are inconsequential as the political funding will continue to remain opaque,” it said. It said the proposal to limit cash donations to Rs 2,000 was flawed on three counts of accountability, disclosure and political will.
“Unless scrutiny of accounts of political parties is taken up by a body approved by Comptroller and Auditor General or the Election Commission, the parties’ declared income is unlikely to reflect their true income,” the ADR said, pointing to the budget not promising scrutiny of income declared by political parties from various sources.”The budget does not propose that the details of all donors who donate above Rs 2,000 be made available to the Income Tax department and/or an external body auditing the accounts of political parties,” it said.
“Unless complete information is available for audit scrutiny, the sources of donations below Rs 20,000 to political parties will continue to stay hidden,” it contended. Referring to the budget proposals of political parties entitled to receive donations in cheque or digital mode as also the mandate to file their return of income within the prescribed time, the ADR said legal provision to the effect, were already in place. “The legal provisions were already in place, re-iterating an already existing rule of law does not add anything new to the proposed electoral reforms.
“This only shows a lack of political will,” said the organisation which aims at bringing transparency and accountability in Indian politics. The ADR also said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) topped the chart in defaulting in submitting its audit reports to the poll panel. Between 2010-11 and 2014-15, BJP defaulted in the submission of its audit report with the Election Commission by an average of 182 days while the Congress defaulted by 166 days on average. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) defaulted in filing its audit report for an average of 87 days while the Samajwadi Party defaulted by 42 days, it said.”For complete transparency, apart from digitisation of donations, the Government should also take immediate steps to implement other electoral and political reforms proposed by the Election Commission and the Law Commission,” said ADR, adding the parties must also provide all information on their finances under the Right to Information Act.
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.
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration
Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones
Meghalaya Reserves Legalized Gambling and Sports Betting for Tourists
IPL 20202 UPDATE: KXIP vs MI IPL Dream11 Team Prediction for Today Match, Update Point Table of all Team.
In a Live debate AAP leader Syed Asad Abbas hurls abuses to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
‘India’s Most Wanted’ trailer out Arjun Kapoor on hunt of Osama-Bin-Laden
Time to move on: Sonakshi on Shatrughan’s joining Congress
