National
Centre releases Rs 133 crore as Cyclone Ockhi relief for Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 27 (IANS) The central team that is touring Cyclone Ockhi-hit villages in Kerala to assess the damages on Wednesday sanctioned the first instalment of Rs 133 crore to the state government.
Cyclone Ockhi struck the southern districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu on November 30.
The team, consisting of disaster management experts, led by Vipin Mallik, a top official in the Home Department, has split themselves into two separate teams, with one team touring the districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kozhikode, while Mallik is going around the coastal hamlets in the state capital.
“We have today sanctioned Rs 133 crore, which is part of the Rs 422 crore that the state government had sought first,” Mallik told the media here.
With the body of one more fisherman being recovered off the coast of Kozhikode on Wednesday, the total number of dead has touched 75, while according to the Latin Church authorities, the number of missing is more than 250.
Earlier in the day, a delegation led by state Congress president M.M. Hassan met Mallik and briefed him about the situation and on the urgent need for the release of funds. The Congress also pinned blame on the Pinarayi Vijayan state government for “failing to rise to the occasion” when the tragedy struck.
The central team will be in the state till Friday .
Vijayan has sought a Rs 7,340 crore relief package to mitigate the fisher folks’ sufferings. It includes compensation for the dead, assistance to the permanently disabled and those who suffered injuries and also for construction of homes, educational assistance, writing off loans and for other programmes meant for the overall relief for the fisher folks in the state.
Popular actress Manju Warrier on Wednesday visited the grieving families at Poonthura fishing village, where many fishermen died and several continue to be missing.
“I decided to spend some time with the grieving families and I will do whatever I can to help them,” said Warrier.
–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.