National
AAP to contest Punjab municipal polls, announces 29 candidates
Chandigarh, Dec 2 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said that it will conrest the municipal elections in Punjab later this month on the party symbol and also released its first list of 29 candidates.
Punjab AAP president and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said that the party has decided to contest the municipal elections on the party symbols so that the local problems of the people of various municipal areas could be highlighted.
AAP is the main opposition party in the Punjab assembly. The party, in its first assembly electoral outing in the state, won 20 seats in the 117-member assembly in March this year.
Elections to Punjab’s three Municipal Corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala and 32 Nagar Councils and Nagar Panchayats will be held on December 17, State Election Commissioner Jagpal Singh Sandhu had announced on Thursday.
The ruling Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are also geared up to fight the municipal polls in the state.
The model code of conduct has come into force immediately in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of corporations, nagar councils and nagar panchayats concerned. 50 per cent seats will be reserved for the women in corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats.
The municipal polls were to be held in September but were postponed as the electoral rolls were not updated.
The election to the Ludhiana municipal corporation is not being held with the rest of the state as the electoral rolls revision has not been completed.
Ludhiana, with a population of 3.5 million, is the largest city in Punjab and the biggest industrial hub in north India.
Lok Insaf Party leader and legislator Simarjeet Singh Bains told media on Saturday that a petition was being filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get the Ludhiana municipal corporation election held with the rest of the state.
The municipal elections are crucial for Punjab as these are being held nearly nine months after the Congress won the assembly polls in March, securing 77 seats in the assembly.
–IANS
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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.