National
FIR in Aadhaar data breach not against journalist, says Minister
New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that an FIR filed following a media report on Aadhaar data breach was not against the journalist, as the Congress and Biju Janata Dal questioned why Aadhaar was being made into a “coercive tool”.
Prasad said the Aadhaar data is “safe”.
In the Question Hour on Wednesday, Congress MP Ninong Ering mentioned a report in The Tribune daily, and questioned why the government instead of securing the Aadhaar data had become defensive and filed an FIR.
“It is not a case of data breach. A grievance redressal agency had leaked a password. No journalist was named in the FIR, the journalist should cooperate with the police to find the culprit,” Prasad said.
“The data with UIDAI is safe,” he said.
The Minister said the government is open to suggestions on improving the Aadhaar, and added that it was a law passed by Parliament.
“There is a law passed by the Parliament, anyone who misuses the Aadhaar data will be sent to jail and there is provision for fine,” he said.
To this, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Tathagata Satpathy questioned if the Minister was threatening to send citizens of the country to jail.
Prasad however said the provisions for jail term and fine are a part of the law passed by Parliament.
Sathpathy questioned why Aadhaar was being made a “coercive tool”.
“Private parties are collecting Aadhaar data… Why should private parties be allowed to collect Aadhaar data if it is meant for benefits transfer,” he said.
The Minister said there are 120 crore Aadhaar cards, and the total number of bank accounts linked with Aadhaar is 57.62 crore.
“We have to ask ourselves if 120 crore are having Aadhaar, it is a proof that majority of people are trusting the mechanism. Public money is being saved,” he said.
“Today Aadhaar is being appreciated by the World Bank, by the IMF. It is a very low-cost technology of India,” he 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.