National
Addressing farm problems government’s highest priority: President
New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said that addressing farmers’ problem and raising their standard of living was the highest priority of the government.
In his address to the joint sitting of Parliament on the first day of the Budget session, Kovind said the government schemes were aimed at removing farmers’ hardships and doubling their income.
He also said the government was working “actively and with sensitivity” to remove the feeling of economic insecurity among the farmers, besides reducing farm input cost.
“My government is committed to doubling of farmers’ income by 2022. To ensure remunerative price to the farmers for their produce, the agriculture mandis are being connected online,” he said
“So far, agricultural commodities valued at about Rs 36,000 crore have been traded on e-NAM portal.”
To enhance the income of farmers, an ambitious scheme has been introduced in the dairy sector under which a ‘Dairy Processing Infrastructure Development Fund’ with a corpus of Rs 11,000 crore is being set up, Kovind said.
He said the work of completing 99 Irrigation projects that were held up for decades was in progress.
The government was protecting the interests of farmers by giving production bonus on pulses and oil seeds, Kovind said.
“As a result of government’s policy for pulses, their production went up by more than 38 per cent as compared to last year, which is a record,” he said.
The President also said a scheme called Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana has been launched to prevent damage to agriculture produce before it reaches the market and to ensure its safe storage.
“The supply chain and infrastructure in the agricultural sector are being modernised under this scheme,” he said.
He said farmers were being given affordable and simple crop insurance services under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
“During 2017, under Rabi & Kharif crops, 5 crore 71 lakh farmers were provided protective coverage under this scheme,” he said.
Mandatory 100 per cent Neem coating of urea had eliminated its black marketing, the President added.
–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.