National
Kerala says CM’s chopper ride bill was to be paid from SDRF
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11 (IANS) Amid a controversy over a proposal to deduct from Ockhi cyclone relief fund the expenses borne on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s chopper ride to cyclone-hit areas, the Kerala government on Thursday clarified the money was to be paid from the SDRF and not the relief money.
Culture Minister A.K. Balan told reporters after a CPI-M meeting here that no money was to be taken from the relief fund and that the ruling party will not foot the bill of Rs 8 lakh.
“There are two type of funds — Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund, in which Ockhi relief fund is included; and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), comprising 25 per cent state contribution and remaining from the Centre. The chopper charges of Rs 8 lakh were designated to be paid from the SDRF and not from the Ockhi relief fund, as was claimed earlier,” Balan said.
“The Chief Minister did nothing wrong. It is common practise for such expenses of the Chief Minister, and even the Prime Minister, to be met from the SDRF. That’s what happened in this case. Hence, the party will not bear the expenses,” the minister said.
Following an opposition protest, Vijayan’s office on Tuesday announced cancellation of the official order for deducting expenses on a chartered helicopter ride on December 26 from Thrissur, where he was attending a Communist Party of India-Marxist meeting, to the state capital to meet a central team that had come visiting from Delhi to study the damage caused by the cyclone on November 30.
After the meeting, Vijayan flew back to Thrissur. His government had debited the chopper ride’s expenses to the relief fund.
Vijayan’s office said on Tuesday evening that officials were not in the know of things and as soon as they came to know, the order was withdrawn.
On Wednesday, CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had indicated the party might foot the bill, but at a party meeting on Thursday, a section of top leaders strongly resisted this.
The opposition Congress had demanded a vigilance case against Vijayan for using cyclone relief funds to pay for his chopper ride to attend the party meeting.
The Bharatiya Janata Party urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to see that the central funds given for Ockhi relief are monitored closely by New Delhi.
Vijayan told a party meeting on Wednesday night that a Chief Minister does not look into from where all his expenses are met and he did nothing wrong since travel expenses of the Chief Minister and other ministers are borne by the government.
–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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