National
Holding back funds under NULM will not help anybody, says SC
New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Central government that it could not hold back the future allocations of funds to the states under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) merely because funds allocated in the past were not spent.
“Such an approach does not really help anyone,” the court told Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar.
“You (the Centre) tell the states that we gave you money but you (states) did not spend it, thus we will not give any more funds. This does not really help anyone. You have to put in place a system to ensure that money is spent and not diverted”, said the bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta.
The court’s observation came as it was told today that 790 cities spread all over the country were being covered under the NULM.
Taking a dim view of the position that fresh allocations were not made to the states which had not utilised the earlier funds, the court asked if the funds allocated for the welfare of urban poor including those without roofs over their heads were being audited by the CAG.
It also wanted to know if the committees have been set up in the states and the union territories for the implementation of the NULM, and are regularly taking stock of their objective.
“The Committees should function and meet. It may not be once a year over a cup of tea,” said Justice Lokur.
The twin objective of NULM is to reduce the poverty and vulnerability of urban poor by imparting them skilled training for access to gainful employment and setting up shelter homes with essential services to house poor without roofs over their heads.
Directing the further hearing of the matter on October 13, the court directed the Central government to place before it whether committees for the implementation of the NULM are in place in the states and union territories and the funds released were being audited or not.
The top court had on November 11, 2016 appointed a committee headed by Delhi High Court’s former judge, Justice Kailash Gambhir to inquire into availability of infrastructure and other facilities for night shelters in the cities.
Justice Gambhir had submitted its interim report in May this year.
–IANS
pk/vd
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.