National
Pradhan seeks central team to assess pest-affected crops in Odisha
Bhubaneswar, Nov 7 (IANS) Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday requested Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to send a central fact-finding team to Odisha to assess the ground realities in the areas where crops were damaged due to pest attack.
In a letter, Pradhan informed that massive pest infestation has hit nine districts in Odisha and crop nearly 1.8 lakh hectare across these districts have been ravaged by the pest attack.
As a result, large numbers of farmers are in distress with some of them have taken the extreme step of setting their crops on fire and even committing suicide, he said, adding he also sought to meet the Agriculture Minister to discuss the matter extensively.
Noting that agriculture including protection against pests and prevention of plant diseases is a state subject, Pradhan blamed the Naveen Patnaik government for the state of affairs.
“The situation has spiraled out of hand largely due to the inordinate delay on part of the state government in supply of subsidized pesticides to the farmers. The state government has done too little too late and by the time the pesticides were put to use, the pests had already attacked the crops and killed them resulting in the crisis in hand,” he alleged.
He said the problem of farmers in Odisha has further got compounded as the drought has hit 15 districts.
“In this context, I would like your urgent personal intervention to explore possible Central intervention and assistance to save the lives and livelihood of the landless agricultural labourers, sharecroppers and small, marginal and sub-marginal cultivators,” said Pradhan.
The Odisha government on Monday announced a package for farmers whose crops have been affected by pest attack.
Agriculture input subsidy will be provided to the small and marginal farmers who have sustained crop loss of 33 percent and above due to pest attack.
According to a report of Special Relief Commissioner, crops in nearly 1, 78,932 hectares of agricultural land have been affected by pest in nine districts and the farmers would be provided agriculture input subsidy in line with the drought assistance – Rs 6,800 per hectare of land in rainfed/non-irrigated areas and Rs 13,500 per hectare of land in areas under assured irrigation would be provided.
–IANS
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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.
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